Strong performances and an unwavering observation of inhumanity on all sides
make Habermann a provocative film…[This] is a serious film about a subject
that long deserved its due.”
— Karsten Kastelan, The Hollywood Reporter
AS MILLIONS OF GERMANS ARE BRUTALLY EXPELLED FROM CZECHOSLOVAKIA POST WWII, A GERMAN MILL OWNER WORKS TO HOLD TOGETHER HIS FAMILY AND COMMUNITY IN THIS POWERFUL DRAMA BASED ON A TRUE STORY
HABERMANN
Street Date: December 8, 2020
DVD/Digital: $24.95
SYNOPSIS
Based on true events, HABERMANN, from director Juraj Herz, is the first film to dramatize the brutal expulsion of 3 million Germans from Czechoslovakia. It resulted in the deaths of thousands of German civilians, and is still met with great controversy today.
This powerful drama from Corinth Films follows the life of August Habermann (Mark Waschke), a well-respected, wealthy German sawmill owner living in the Czech Sudentenland. Married to the young, beautiful Czech, Jana (Hanna Herzsprung), their comfortable lives undergo increased tension when the region is annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938. And though he’s neither interested in politics nor ideology, for Habermann, the annexation signals the first of many encounters with ruthless SS officer, Major Koslowski (Ben Becker).
When two German soldiers are found murdered, and Koslowski discovers Jana was born half-Jewish, he seizes the opportunity to extort the kind-hearted mill owner. He informs Habermann that he intends to execute townspeople to avenge the deaths of his two soldiers, and instructs him to select which ones should die. If he doesn’t, the Major will deport Jana to a concentration camp. As the Soviets finally advance into the region, Koslowski arranges his escape and his troops retreat, but the German population stays — the region has been their home for generations.
After 7 years of Nazi occupation, however, Czechs yearns for vengeance and blame all Germans for the daily terrors and indignities they faced and set out to expel them from the region. Those who chose to remain could face deadly consequences, and Habermann’s life is especially in danger since many think he is responsible for the Czechs executed by Koslowski. Having lost his family and many others he cared about, Habermann resigns himself to whatever awaits him in this German-Czechoslovakian historical drama nominated for six Czech Lions, including Best Film.
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Type: DVD/Digital (iTunes, Amazon)
Running Time: 104 minutes
Genre: World Cinema/Drama
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: Stereo
Language: German with English Subtitles
About Corinth Films
Since 1977, Corinth Films has been distributing foreign and independent arthouse cinema to audiences in the US & Canada. Beginning with such classics as David Lynch’s Eraserhead and Federico Fellini’s 8 1/2, Corinth’s more recent releases have included films by up-and-coming international directors such as Nadav Lapid and Mika Kaurismaki, as well as acclaimed longstanding auteurs such as Andrei Konchalovsky, Mohsen Makhmalbaf and Edgar Reitz. As the film-viewing landscape changes, the desire for intellectually stimulating and entertaining films will not, and Corinth continues its mission to acquire and release undiscovered, international watch-worthy content. To discover and enjoy Corinth’s film releases, visit www.corinthfilms.com.
