The German Heimatfilm of the 50s

Introduction

Emerging from post-war Germany, the Heimatfilm reflected the social disorientation of German audiences who longed for clear, comprehensible order in society. These viewers fled into the small, enclosed world of the Heimatfilm. Peaceful villages, unspoiled nature, and firm values, handed down from the past, are the trademarks of films from this overlooked movement. Disregarded by most film historians in much the same way American melodrama was until it was rescued by feminist film theory, Heimatfilm promotes a fascinating reflection on gender roles and the allure of provincial life in postwar Germany. This program is co-presented with the Goethe-Institut Boston. Program notes adapted from the Goethe-Institut San Francisco.

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