The Lives of Others

Das Leben der Anderen (2006)

Timing: 2:17 (137 min)

8/10
4062

8.131/10
248020

8.4/10
442000

All about film

Video 6

Photo 33

Actors and characters

Release date

2006-03-23

Country

France, Germany

Production

Sony Pictures Classics, ARD, ARTE, BR, Beta Cinema, Creado Film, Wiedemann & Berg Film, Buena Vista International (Germany) GmbH

Genre

Drama, Thriller

Budget

$2 000 000

Revenue

$77 356 942

Website

Director

Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Actors

Martina Gedeck, Ulrich Mühe, Sebastian Koch, Ulrich Tukur, Thomas Thieme, Hans-Uwe Bauer, Volkmar Kleinert, Matthias Brenner, Charly Hübner, Herbert Knaup
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Producer

Max Wiedemann, Quirin Berg

Operator

Hagen Bogdanski

Composer

Gabriel Yared

Artist

Audition

Simone Bär

Editing

Patricia Rommel
All team (41)

• In 2006, the film set a record for the most nominations (eleven) for the German Film Awards, Germany's premier film prize.
• Nicolette Krebitz auditioned for the role of Krista.
• The entire run of the German DVD release of the film was recalled from sale due to statements made by the director in the audio commentary regarding the activities of politician Gregor Gysi and actress Jenny Grölmann as agents of East German secret police, the 'Stasi'.
• The Brecht poem read by Wisler is titled “Erinnerung An Die Marie A.” (“Remembrance of Marie A.”).
• In his book accompanying the film's release, actor Ulrich Mühe accused his ex-wife, Jenny Grölmann, of collaborating with the secret police and spying on him. The subsequent, widely publicized lawsuit between them regarding these accusations did not rule in the actor's favor.
• The film's modest budget of two million euros was only possible because most of the actors agreed to work for one-fifth of their usual fee.
• The film was rejected by the official jury of the 2006 Berlin Film Festival, headed by Dieter Kosslick.
• All the surveillance and recording devices used in "The Lives of Others" were genuine inventory of the East German secret police, the Stasi, borrowed from museums and private collectors for the duration of filming.
• The cover of a nonexistent issue of the German magazine "Der Spiegel" featuring an article by Dreyman was designed by the publishers specifically for use in the film.
• Director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck spent an entire month translating the screenplay of the future film into French and sent it to composer Gabriel Yared to secure his agreement to participate in the project. For the scene where Dreyman plays the composition "Sonata for a Good Man" on the piano, he asked him to write music so powerful that it would make Stalin turn away from all the cruelties and atrocities he would later commit. This key scene was the foundational idea around which the entire script was later built.
• At the 106th minute, when one agent turns to look at another approaching the car, he looks first at the steering wheel, then out the window.
• The entire print run of the German DVD edition of the film was recalled from sale due to the director’s statements in the audio commentary about the activities of politician Gregor Gysi and actress Jenny Gröhlmann as agents of the East German secret police, the “Stasi.”
• The Brecht poem read by Whisler is titled “Erinnerung An Die Marie A.” (“Remembrance of Marie A.”).
• Director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck spent an entire month translating the script of the future film into French and sent it to composer Gabriel Yared to secure his agreement to participate in the project. For the scene where Dreyer plays the composition “Sonata for a Good Man” on the piano, he asked for music so powerful that it would make Stalin turn away from all the cruelties and atrocities he would later commit within two minutes. This key scene was the foundational idea around which the entire script was later built.