DIE NACHTRICHTEN (THE NEWS)
Germany, 2005, 90 minutes, Colour.
Jan Josef Liefers, Nina Kunzendorf.
Directed by Matti Geschonneck.
The News is a fascinating German film exploring the aftermath of the reunification of Germany. The central character is a successful television anchor who seems to be on the up and up. However, a journalist, herself from East Germany, decides to do a series of articles on East Germans who have been successful in the unified Germany. As she investigates, suspicions are aroused that the television anchor had been a spy for the Stasi. As her investigation takes her deeper, journalists from other tabloids and magazines become involved – and seek out sources, manipulating them, getting information which is then misinterpreted.
The television bosses discuss the issues, government pressure is brought to bear. The anchor is taken off the news. He then tries to investigate the meaning of what has happened. Finally, a disillusioned former Stasi official contacts him and reveals the truth about how the authorities had tabbed him for a possible agent. The official is living in seclusion with his wife, feels that he has cleared his conscience somewhat and kill himself.
The film highlights the repercussions of this kind of rumour-mongering, tabloid journalism, the qualities of investigative journalism but also the risks taken and the muckraking. The central character himself sees what a successful life he has achieved and the possibility of it all disappearing. The journalist has some second thoughts but is fairly ruthless in her approach to her life and to her career. A rival journalist who seems to be on-side turns out to be even more sleazy. As pressures are brought to bear, his article is not published.
The film offers a German audience some insights into what happened with the unification and the consequences. This is especially true for the less privileged East Germans. For non-German audiences, it is a fascinating look into what has happened, the background of the tight regime in East Germany, the possibilities for character assassination in contemporary Germany.
1. A small-budget video film? Its quality? German perspective, history? Going back into the past?
2. The Hamburg settings, Sylt, Neu Brandenburg? Television stations, the art scene, apartments, the sea? The musical score? The significant east European song?
3. The world of the television studios, the presentation of the news, the anchor, the assistant staff? The bosses and their decisions? The similarity with magazines, newspapers, editors, reporters?
4. The world of reporters, their getting stories, relentless, uncovering the past, unscrupulous? Insinuating themselves into people’s lives? Payoffs? The questioning of their methods?
5. Jan Landers: on television, afterwards, his girlfriend, going to the party, meeting Margarethe? The affair, his discussions with her father? His own parents, their reply to reporters, his father’s criticism of him, his mother supporting him? The rumour about his belonging to the Stasi? His being suspended, the boss giving him some drinks, promise of reinstatement? The aftermath, the phone call from Rashke? Going with Rashke, the arrival at the station, revisiting the air force barracks? Photos being taken? The meeting with Lau at the garage, his contact with Zelewski? Out in the middle of the field with Zelewski, the information about what they had done in terms of possible recruitment, his file? His not knowing? Doris, her pursuit of the file, his learning about the file, her sending it back after the death of Zelewski? His putting it in the rubbish? The irony of the methods, the song that he played in the nightclub, banned that year? The East Germans and their reputation, succeeding in the West?
6. Doris, competent, from East Germany, seeing herself as a success, the plan for the article on successful East Germans? Going after Landers? The reputation of Der Spiegel? The editor, urging her on, his high-placed contacts? The plan, trying to get the file, going to the Stasi offices? Her pressure on the bureaucrat? Her tracking down Zelewski, offering him the money, coming back, his accepting – and her return, the money on the floor, his letter to his wife, his suicide? Her meeting with Rashke, each wanting something from the other, the night together, her forcing Landers’ suspension? The shock of Zelewski’s suicide, her returning the file to Landers?
7. Rashke, shabby, paying for the file from the Stasi offices, the contrast with Der Spiegel, the local reporter? Watching, outwitting Doris, the night with her? The contact with Jan, the tour with him, making the connections? The photos? His editor backing the article, the attack on Landers? The irony of the pressure being brought to bear on the editor and the article being withdrawn, his searching for it and its not being there?
8. The bosses, the pressures, orders?
9. Jan’s parents, the interview with Doris, the father pulling him down, the mother boosting him? His neglect of them, forgetting about them?
10. Margarethe, the world of art, the party, her ex-husband? Attraction towards Jan, the affair, taking him to the seaside, meeting her father? The news about the attack? Her getting legal advice from Martin? Picking Jan up on the road? A future?
11. The girl at the television station, her love for Jan, his not being able to love her back, saying she wanted to save him? His offhand attitude towards her at the end?
12. Zelewski, seeing his life, the humdrum, his alcoholic wife? The memories of the past, the uniform in the cupboard? His routine, walking the dog? The attraction of the money from Doris, his motivation for his wife? His not being able to betray the young man, after explaining everything to him? The note, the suicide – and Doris’s shredding the note?
13. The decades of division between Eastern and Western Germany? The aftermath of the unification? The film set in 1995 and the slow process – especially of acceptance of East Germans by the West?
