No. 50 (2019) Gunderman. May 31st.

Film No 50 (2019) May 31st.  2.30 PM Private Preview Screening @ Home via Vimeo link . 

German Film Festival through Palace Cinemas (Paradiso, Northbridge Perth Western Australia)   May 28th to June 12th. 

"Why are you driving a western car while everyone else here has a Trabant? And what are your long-term concepts for our energy policy?" (Gundermann, with his fellow workers, seeks answers to his queries about their workplace with their Chief Executive).

This bio-pic gives both an entertaining and insightful look into a passionate, thoughtful, talented German national who only had the best interests of all (in a social context) at heart. Alexander Scheer plays Gerhard Gundermann a musician and writer who had a mind of his own, in a diminishing communist regime (GDR Berlin). Gundermann died before his time, thus never fully had the impact he and his family would have hoped for (or maybe he did in death). While Gundermann is uneven from a film-making POV it has a strong regional presence. While an international audience, like me, can have a fascination with people who influence a society, the people of that country, or better still, that region, would have a greater appreciation and insight into their deeds. Gunderman's songs had influence, and to see the film is to experience how affecting they are. The chemistry between Scheer and Anna Unterberger (wife Conny) is unique and adds to the flavour of this important bio-pic.  8GUMS.