1989

Nov 1 2014 N/A 1h 37m
Documentary, History, Thriller

Anders Østergaard’s film is an investigative look at the year the Berlin Wall fell, documenting the events that took place in Hungary as a prelude to the dramatic changes in November 1989. The director recreates the events and leads the audiences deep into the politicians’ secret meeting rooms by using a mix of interviews, archive material and reconstructed scenes and dialogues.

Plot

'1989' is a creative documentary and a high-politics drama about the collapse of the Iron Curtain. A young technocrat, Miklos Nemeth, becomes Hungary's new prime minister to save the country's appalling economy. He decides to remove the expensive border control apparatus from the state budget. A young couple from East Germany is encouraged by the rumours that the Hungarian border to Austria will be opened and decide to make a go for it. But Nemeth's decision has set him up against formidable adversaries and communist hardliners. The young couple are caught up in the political power-game, and the young man is shot dead at the border. This tragic event paradoxically accelerates Nemeth's final decision to open the borders, and soon after the Berlin wall falls.

Written by

Erzsébet Rácz, Anders Østergaard

Directed by

Erzsébet Rácz, Anders Østergaard

Cast

Miklós Németh, Gundula Schafitel, Mathias Rössler

Crew

View crew

Production Countries

Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Norway

Languages

Magyar

Awards

4 nominations total

Scores
# of Votes
254
Average Rating
7.5 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA