Archive notice: This article was originally published on January 22, 2009. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Germany in the 1970s. Andreas Baader (Moritz Bleibtreu), former star columnist Ulrike Meinhof (Martina Gedeck) and Gudrun Ensslin (Johanna Wokalek) fight what they see as the new face of fascism: US policy in Vietnam, the Middle East and the Third World,
supported by leading figures in German politics, the judiciary and industry.
The Red Army Faction founded by Baader, Meinhof and Ensslin has declared war on the Federal Republic of Germany. People are killed and injured, the situation escalates, and the young democracy is shaken to its foundations. The man who does not condone the terrorists’ acts but nevertheless tries to understand them is also their pursuer: Federal Criminal Police Office chief Horst Herold (Bruno Ganz). Although he achieves major investigative successes, he knows that the police alone cannot stop the spiral of violence.
Screenwriter and producer Bernd Eichinger (Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, Downfall) and director Uli Edel (Last Exit to Brooklyn, Christiane F.) powerfully adapted Stefan
Aust’s standard work on RAF terrorism and the dramatic events from 1967 through the “German Autumn” of 1977, creating an authentic political masterpiece. Many dialogues are based on documented texts or recorded conversations.
The cast includes an array of German stars, including Moritz Bleibtreu, Martina Gedeck, Johanna Wokalek, Nadja Uhl, Jan Josef Liefers, Alexandra Maria Lara, Heino Ferch, Tom Schilling and Bruno Ganz.
More than 2.5 million people have seen the film in German cinemas. The Baader Meinhof Complex received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations for Best Foreign Language Film and was named film of the year at the Bavarian Film Awards.
Highlight Communications and Constantin Film will release Bernd Eichinger’s gripping and authentic political masterpiece on DVD and Blu-ray in March 2009.
Expected DVD and Blu-ray rental release: March 5, 2009
Expected DVD and Blu-ray retail release: March 12, 2009
Related links:
- Film website
