lavatch The most common title of this film in English is "A Woman in Berlin," based on the published diaries of an anonymous female author in 1959. The film presents in a riveting manner the moment when the Soviet forces entered Berlin in the final stage of World War II. The atrocities committed by the Soviets, especially in the rape of women in Berlin, are well chronicled. But this film places a face on the tragic developments, as recounted by the anonymous diarist.The film graphically conveys the brutality inflicted on civilians, especially the women, as the Soviet army awaits the arrival of the allies of England and America from the west. The time seems endless, as the Soviets are awaiting the unified effort to deliver the knockout punch to the Reichstag.Nina Hoss gives a complex and multi-layered performance as the anonymous journalist and Eugeny Sidikhim is the duty-bound yet vulnerable commanding officer, Andrej Rybkin with whom "Anonyma" has an affair. The film is careful to demonstrate the Anonyma's choice to develop her relationship with Andrej was purely based on survival. She made a conscious decision to exercise the limited amount of free will in her grasp to at least choose her partner. The film gives a fascinating portrayal of how their relationship develops.The film may be excessive in its lengthy for such a a drama that is essentially focused on one main relationship. For a film that ran over two hours, some of the secondary characters could have been developed more completely.It is shocking to contemplate there there was outrage in Germany when the diary was published in 1959. Incredibly, Anonyma was seen as a "collaborator" with the Soviets at the height of the Cold War. It is a credit to director Max Färberböck did not let this important memoir die, but brought in back to life in this moving and uncompromising film version. Bravo!

Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de) "Anonyma - Eine Frau in Berlin" or "Anonyma - A Woman in Berlin" is a German film that tuns for over 2 hours and was written and directed by Max Färberböck almost 10 years ago, the man who was also in charge of German Golden Globe nominee "Aimée & Jaguar" another decade earlier. And just like that one, we also have mostly strong female characters in this movie here and there is again a World War II background. Unfortunately, I personally did not feel as if there was anything really new here, anything that has not been done already in this uncountable number of (German) films centered around the days of war.And my appreciation for lead actress Nina Hoss goes south pretty quickly too. While I initially enjoyed her the first couple times I saw her, I must say by now she does not bring any new nuances to the characters she plays and it is almost always the exact same we see from her in terms of mannerisms and details. She may be good in picking characters that fit her, but there is really nothing that makes a difference in her performances anymore really. It surprises me to see she is one of Germany's most famous in the United States at this point. There are more deserving actresses out there. The cast here features some more well-known names such as Jördis Triebel, Juliane Köhler, August Diehl, Sandra Hüller and Sebastian Urzendowsky, who I still cannot see an ounce of talent in.Finally, I want to say that I do not recommend seeing this film. The rating here on IMDb is certainly way too high. It is not a bad film by any means and there are some fine scenes that stay memorable, but it just isn't enough for a runtime over 130 minutes. And honestly I must say, as hard as Färberböck tried, eventually I did not really care for any of the characters or women in this film and how their fate evolved while events unfolded. Thumbs down. There are many superior German films about World War II. The music in here is nice, but it's also not original, so no credit to the makers from this movie other than for chossing it.

TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews I haven't read the diary, but my father has and after we watched this together, he said that they got everything from the compelling book with its important testimony. This review is based upon the version with a two hour running time and six minutes of credits. After Berlin was taken over by Russian soldiers(among them men who had not had sex for four years) at the end of WW2, and raped 100.000 women, leading to the death of 10.000 of them. When this was first revealed in the late 50's, the truth outraged many in the country. It was called an attack on the virtue of female Germans. Fortunately, it was re-released in 2003, and now this excellent adaptation has hit theaters. There is apparently also a longer cut, and if the standard of this is maintained, it is undoubtedly great and worth it. This is gripping from start to finish. It all comes across as real and authentic(helped by the fact that they speak the three languages they are supposed to), and since this is entirely objective and doesn't take any sides in the conflict, you feel for both groups. The acting performances are spot-on. This has some marvelous little touches and details, and it is historically accurate. The characters are complex and psychologically credible. This is immensely well-produced. The camera-work and editing put you right in the situation when this fits, and is in general expertly done. This has extraordinary lighting. There are a few light portions that keep it from being all sad(without it taking away from how touching and engaging the rest of it is). It is tense and unpleasant when it means to be, albeit it isn't outright depressing. The atmosphere is built up well. There is a bit of moderate sexuality, nudity of both genders, brutal violence and disturbing content in this. The DVD comes with a trailer for this and ones for other films. I recommend this warmly to everyone mature enough for it. What happened should never be forgotten. 8/10

secondtake A Woman in Berlin (2008)Imagine the horrors of women caught in a large city during the chaos of war, with occupying troops storming your apartment building day after day. Well, think again. It isn't imaginable. I think even people who live through such things (and we are talking Berlin, 1945 for this movie) the truth is something that is pushed away. Because even watching a movie--a movie!--of these events is unbearable.Not that the movie is unwatchable. Just the opposite. It's beautifully made, seeming to parallel that other recent German movie about the last days of the Nazi reign, "Downfall," 2004. But unlike that movie, this isn't about political history, or the history of war, or even the dramatization of historical figures as real people. This is a personal story, centering around one woman played by Nina Hoss, and about the repeated rape and abuse of women by the Russian troops for days and weeks on end. There was no escape, no power to complain to, no justice anywhere, anywhere, not German or Russian or even American (assuming they were any better) a mile or two away.The movie is based on a book, "Anonyma," by a woman whose identity is not revealed, if it is even known (this was her protection even after death). The movie suffers now and then from a sameness, a steady pounding, beginning to end. The parade of horrors is continuous even as relationships develop and the first wave of anarchistic occupiers shifts to more entrenched troops and some general partying. You do cling to some semblance of progression, or of events to stand out from the others, but it's mostly about horribleness. But maybe that's the way it should be. It was an endless nightmare on every level, even if you (they, these women) survive. In some ways, the end of the war is more believably insane here than in "Downfall" even though they are in many ways comparable movies, comparable moments. Such an array or gritty, believable acting and sets you won't find often. And thankfully, even the sentimental aspects are handled without swelling music and other cinematic tricks found too often this side of the Atlantic.One last point, whatever you think of the Germans and WWII, here is yet another kind of national acknowledgment and, for many, soul-searching. This is a German film. The Russians don't come off great, for sure, but the Germans are clearly at fault, and are shown that way, and shown as responsible for even greater crimes. There's no glossing over any of it. Watch this movie. It won't be fun, but it'll be stirring and important.