| Mario Irrek, Martin Wuttke, Harald
Schrott , Nadja Uhl , Bibiana Beglau
Noted German director Volker Schlondorff helms this riveting exploration
of 1970s West German political terrorism. The film opens with Rita
(Bibiana Beglau) reminiscing to her unseen friend Tatjana of her
life as a radical. Cut to a flashback of her along with her like-minded
colleagues robbing a bank. Later while traveling from Beirut to
East Berlin, she is carted away for questioning. When the interrogators
learn of Rita's vocation, Stasi officer Erwin (Martin Wuttke) releases
her and tells her to consult him if she needs help. After she botches
the breakout of her boyfriend Andi (Harald Schrott from a West Berlin
jail, she calls on her Stasi contact to protect the gang and provide
safe passage to Beirut and later to Paris. Tension between the group
members -- particularly between Andi and Rita -- soon grow strained.
After Rita almost gets arrested for killing a cop, she turns to
Erwin, who comes up with a different offer. Rita will stay in East
Germany as a working proletarian under an assumed name. While in
East Berlin, she befriends Tatjana (Nadja Uhl) who soon becomes
her lover. This film was screened at the 2000 Berlin Film Festival.
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