Germany. A Winter's Tale

Director's Commentary

»"A Winter's Tale" should be an imposition for the viewer, a rush, a look into the abyss, which we always try to avoid. There is no light in this film, no lesson, it can only be our own thoughts and actions that make the difference. The decisive question is not how the three could become what they are, what the social background of the 'others' is, but why can it be so simple.

The title "Germany. A Winter's Tale" refers on the one hand to Heinrich Heine, whose books were burned by the National Socialists, as a reminder of his "Germany. A Winter's Tale". "It was in the sad month of November, the days became gloomy, the wind blew the leaves off the trees, that I left for Germany." On the other hand, "A Winter's Tale" is a reference to the stupid "Summer's Tale", the 2006 World Cup in Germany, which brought us the flag-waving and the tense new national relaxation of the Germans. The question is allowed whether all this was and is so innocent. In this sense, "Germany. A Winter's Tale" is a dark fairy tale, a dirty fantasy.«

Jan Bonny

»You can't help but feel a sense of belonging to the characters in Jan Bonny's
films to their lives, to their loves, to their violence.«
Die Welt