Screening the East

"...contains useful and nuanced readings of the best-known films dealing with themes related to unification, as well as highlighting some equally interesting lesser-known works, in order to provide a rounded picture of German cinema's engagement with these issues in the past 17 years. I am not aware of any other publication that covers such a range of material and this in itself makes the book a valuable contribution to the field." * David Clarke, University of Bath "This is an extremely rich study of the representation of east German identity and the former GDR in post-unification cinema. The author clearly has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the films of this period ...Hodgin's book breaks genuinely new ground." * Sean Allan, University of Warwick "The book reveals an excellent knowledge of German culture and cinema, and combines methodological soundness with an ability to talk about films in a lively way free of jargon. Screening the East should not be missed by anybody interested in German cinema and culture, as well as cinema as discourse on history and space." * Ewa Mazierska, University of Central Lancashire "Screening the East provides insightful readings of contemporary classics such as Good Bye, Lenin! and The Lives of Others alongside films which complement these popular memories of life on the other side of the Wall by an eastern and, arguably, more authentic perspective. Surveying the post-Wall cinematic landscape from a number of different critical vantage points, Hodgin proposes that DEFA's legacy has not been obliterated but has evolved into a surprisingly diverse film culture. This is an engaging and important contribution to German cinema and cultural studies, providing a wealth of contextual detail." * Daniela Berghahn, Reader in Film Studies, Royal Holloway, University of London Screening the East considers German filmmakers' responses to unification. In particular, it traces the representation of the East German community in films made since 1989 and considers whether these narratives challenge or reinforce the notion of a separate East German identity. The book identifies and analyses a large number of films, from internationally successful box-office hits, to lesser-known productions, many of which are discussed here for the first time. Providing an insight into the films' historical and political context, it considers related issues such as stereotyping, racism, regional particularism and the Germans' confrontation with the past.