ANINA (Tony of Pittsburgh)
Directed by Uli Edel
Written by Jutta Brückner
Produced by Christine Rothe
Music by Dario Marianelli
Main Cast:
Diane Kruger as Anina Gottlieb
Alexandra Maria Lara as Gisa Hoch
Til Schweiger as Karlmann Berg
Tagline: "In the midst of exile and hate, people looked for one glimmer of hope...one would accept."
Synopsis: "I'm not entirely sure how far this letter is going to go, so I'll get straight to the point. My name is Anina Gottlieb, an Aryan born nurse that was stationed in Owinska, Poland. At this time, the nazis began to raid the ghettos of this depleted community and pregnancy rates were growing strong among Jewish and non-Jewish women, most on account of rape from the German soldiers. Because of my extensive background, I was ranked as head nurse, with only Karlmann Berg, the lead doctor and operator, able to overrule any decision I made. This is where I met Gisa, my assistant and would later be my best friend. At first glance, I could tell most of the nurses were frightened by their new working environment. We were performing more abortions then I would like to share a day. I will also spare the gruesome details and conditions these women underwent. To be honest, it started to be overwhelming for me, but the other nurses looked to me for comfort and peace. I could not show weakness. In between shifts, I would treat my crew to games, humor them, and provide them uplifting stories of the past when my work did more good than harm. What they didn't know was in my time alone, my sleep was deprived by the hundreds of agonizing women I had to endure, many of them even died from the procedure. What have I become? I questioned this every night before the tears eventually relieved me of my stress and I was forced to sleep."
"Eventually, the moral of the crew became evident. The same bloody, moroseful, shameful routine every day...not even I could convince them of brighter days. I on the other hand have developed a steady relationship with Karlmann. He's bold, brash, often times cruel and resentful towards the other nurses and patients...but he adored me, and I welcomed the protection and warmth. It was the nights he held me in his arms where I was completely vulnerable and had my own happiness. The knowledge of our relationship was spreading throughout the hospital and I began to notice Gisa showing signs of exasperation and jealousy. The way she looked in his eyes, I could tell she yearned for the same male comfort that I did. She told me what I was doing was unthinkable...my only retort was that everything we do here is unthinkable. But it didn't matter for much longer. Karlmann had his bad days and his ill tempered ones. I witnessed first hand the beating of a female patient from Karlmanns hands and the blunt of his gun. We tried to save her but the damage was too severe. My neglection towards Karlmann since then made him more distraught. He then pointed his attention to Gisa, whom accepted it with open arms. As for me, it was around that time me and my crew began sneaking victimized patients down through the basement. Whether their chances of survival increased by doing so, I will never know."
"Karlmann was on to my me, questioning my every move, wondering where I am at all times. This wasn't more evident until Gisa came to me one morning. It wasn't hard for me to realize that she was two months pregnant and judging by her body language, she was raped several times. She asked me to rid her from the torment and memories this baby will cause...so I did, I murdered what was an Ayran born fetus. It wasn't until today I learned that a nurse witnessed me perform the procedure and when the realization came that I did not see Gisa all day, I knew they already got to her. I am in hiding as of now and know they will come for me soon and will be punished for my so called "crimes" against humanity. My only hope is that this letter will reach out to someone in need of the smallest bit of encouragement and just to remembe--------------------"
Press Section: "Anina" is a beautiful, inspiring, and riveting foreign drama that is sure to capture the hearts of viewers around the country. The film isn't without its strong subject matter that is sure to cause debate on the drive home, but what will not be forgotten is the wonderful and daring performances from our three central characters and what appears to be director Uli Edel's breakout masterpiece. Edel does a fantastic job at limiting the gritty, gruesome details to a small, condensed outlook using crafty camera techniques to which begs me to use the phrase "less is more." He leaves us with the gratuitious, awful images we provide for ourselves. However, the subject matter is a stepping stone to what is considered to be one of the most shocking, uplifting stories we will witness this year.
Diane Kruger plays "Anina" in a role that will certainly cement her as one of the top frontrunners of this years Oscars. Kruger does what most actresses struggle to do these days; she manages to take over the script and have each character and action solely react on her choices and actions. The Anina character is played with such relentless bravery and honesty, passion and fear, from start to finish. We desperately pull for her, but something just tells us that a woman like Anina doesn't want our sympathy and that she's playing the hand she was dealt. With that said, we admire the decisions she makes and admire the sheer brilliance of the performance. Til Schweiger turns out to give a very complex, brutal, and mesmerizing performance as the head German officer running the hospital. It's not the typical, cliche nazi performance we've seen dozens of times. While some of his motives and actions are callous and unmerciful, Schweiger manages to hit the nail on that natural charm he imposes. What Schweiger makes us question is what if Karlmann is in the same boat as Anina? What if he wants the same kindness and attention to set him free...despite his violent tendencies? It's a truthful, multi-layered performance that will surely be noticed in the midst of Kruger's buzz and fortune. Alexandra Maria Lara is the last piece of the puzzle as she turns in the same multi-dimensional performance as our other masterful performances. She is the weakest of the three, yet strives to overcome her fear and resentment towards her forceful situation. In a way, we pity her the most. Her jealousy and angst towards Anina comes from pure human nature. She's vulnerable, scared, but forcefully continues on. It's hard to say that we do not approve of her decisions, as she reminds us that you can still be strong and desirable behind all the discomfort and pain she shows.
It's not hard to watch "Anina" and miss some of the key ingredients of the film. It's a film that emotionally lifts you, which is saying a lot considering the harrowing subject matter and time frame. It isn't without its encouraging debates and controversy, but a film that shows the destruction of human life, yet the willingness to survive and human maturity we see through Anina makes the lives she eventually saved worth living for. "Anina" is sure to make noise throughout the North American market and is the poster child of foreign films that can prove to be just as artistic and meaningful.
Awards Consideration:
Best Picture
Best Director - Uli Edel
Best Screenplay - Jutta Brückner
Best Actress - Diane Kruger
Best Supporting Actor - Til Schweiger
Best Supporting Actress - Alexandra Maria Lara
Written by Jutta Brückner
Produced by Christine Rothe
Music by Dario Marianelli
Main Cast:
Diane Kruger as Anina Gottlieb
Alexandra Maria Lara as Gisa Hoch
Til Schweiger as Karlmann Berg
Tagline: "In the midst of exile and hate, people looked for one glimmer of hope...one would accept."
Synopsis: "I'm not entirely sure how far this letter is going to go, so I'll get straight to the point. My name is Anina Gottlieb, an Aryan born nurse that was stationed in Owinska, Poland. At this time, the nazis began to raid the ghettos of this depleted community and pregnancy rates were growing strong among Jewish and non-Jewish women, most on account of rape from the German soldiers. Because of my extensive background, I was ranked as head nurse, with only Karlmann Berg, the lead doctor and operator, able to overrule any decision I made. This is where I met Gisa, my assistant and would later be my best friend. At first glance, I could tell most of the nurses were frightened by their new working environment. We were performing more abortions then I would like to share a day. I will also spare the gruesome details and conditions these women underwent. To be honest, it started to be overwhelming for me, but the other nurses looked to me for comfort and peace. I could not show weakness. In between shifts, I would treat my crew to games, humor them, and provide them uplifting stories of the past when my work did more good than harm. What they didn't know was in my time alone, my sleep was deprived by the hundreds of agonizing women I had to endure, many of them even died from the procedure. What have I become? I questioned this every night before the tears eventually relieved me of my stress and I was forced to sleep."
"Eventually, the moral of the crew became evident. The same bloody, moroseful, shameful routine every day...not even I could convince them of brighter days. I on the other hand have developed a steady relationship with Karlmann. He's bold, brash, often times cruel and resentful towards the other nurses and patients...but he adored me, and I welcomed the protection and warmth. It was the nights he held me in his arms where I was completely vulnerable and had my own happiness. The knowledge of our relationship was spreading throughout the hospital and I began to notice Gisa showing signs of exasperation and jealousy. The way she looked in his eyes, I could tell she yearned for the same male comfort that I did. She told me what I was doing was unthinkable...my only retort was that everything we do here is unthinkable. But it didn't matter for much longer. Karlmann had his bad days and his ill tempered ones. I witnessed first hand the beating of a female patient from Karlmanns hands and the blunt of his gun. We tried to save her but the damage was too severe. My neglection towards Karlmann since then made him more distraught. He then pointed his attention to Gisa, whom accepted it with open arms. As for me, it was around that time me and my crew began sneaking victimized patients down through the basement. Whether their chances of survival increased by doing so, I will never know."
"Karlmann was on to my me, questioning my every move, wondering where I am at all times. This wasn't more evident until Gisa came to me one morning. It wasn't hard for me to realize that she was two months pregnant and judging by her body language, she was raped several times. She asked me to rid her from the torment and memories this baby will cause...so I did, I murdered what was an Ayran born fetus. It wasn't until today I learned that a nurse witnessed me perform the procedure and when the realization came that I did not see Gisa all day, I knew they already got to her. I am in hiding as of now and know they will come for me soon and will be punished for my so called "crimes" against humanity. My only hope is that this letter will reach out to someone in need of the smallest bit of encouragement and just to remembe--------------------"
Press Section: "Anina" is a beautiful, inspiring, and riveting foreign drama that is sure to capture the hearts of viewers around the country. The film isn't without its strong subject matter that is sure to cause debate on the drive home, but what will not be forgotten is the wonderful and daring performances from our three central characters and what appears to be director Uli Edel's breakout masterpiece. Edel does a fantastic job at limiting the gritty, gruesome details to a small, condensed outlook using crafty camera techniques to which begs me to use the phrase "less is more." He leaves us with the gratuitious, awful images we provide for ourselves. However, the subject matter is a stepping stone to what is considered to be one of the most shocking, uplifting stories we will witness this year.
Diane Kruger plays "Anina" in a role that will certainly cement her as one of the top frontrunners of this years Oscars. Kruger does what most actresses struggle to do these days; she manages to take over the script and have each character and action solely react on her choices and actions. The Anina character is played with such relentless bravery and honesty, passion and fear, from start to finish. We desperately pull for her, but something just tells us that a woman like Anina doesn't want our sympathy and that she's playing the hand she was dealt. With that said, we admire the decisions she makes and admire the sheer brilliance of the performance. Til Schweiger turns out to give a very complex, brutal, and mesmerizing performance as the head German officer running the hospital. It's not the typical, cliche nazi performance we've seen dozens of times. While some of his motives and actions are callous and unmerciful, Schweiger manages to hit the nail on that natural charm he imposes. What Schweiger makes us question is what if Karlmann is in the same boat as Anina? What if he wants the same kindness and attention to set him free...despite his violent tendencies? It's a truthful, multi-layered performance that will surely be noticed in the midst of Kruger's buzz and fortune. Alexandra Maria Lara is the last piece of the puzzle as she turns in the same multi-dimensional performance as our other masterful performances. She is the weakest of the three, yet strives to overcome her fear and resentment towards her forceful situation. In a way, we pity her the most. Her jealousy and angst towards Anina comes from pure human nature. She's vulnerable, scared, but forcefully continues on. It's hard to say that we do not approve of her decisions, as she reminds us that you can still be strong and desirable behind all the discomfort and pain she shows.
It's not hard to watch "Anina" and miss some of the key ingredients of the film. It's a film that emotionally lifts you, which is saying a lot considering the harrowing subject matter and time frame. It isn't without its encouraging debates and controversy, but a film that shows the destruction of human life, yet the willingness to survive and human maturity we see through Anina makes the lives she eventually saved worth living for. "Anina" is sure to make noise throughout the North American market and is the poster child of foreign films that can prove to be just as artistic and meaningful.
Awards Consideration:
Best Picture
Best Director - Uli Edel
Best Screenplay - Jutta Brückner
Best Actress - Diane Kruger
Best Supporting Actor - Til Schweiger
Best Supporting Actress - Alexandra Maria Lara
