DramaRomanceCrime

Great Freedom

In post-war Germany, liberation by the Allies does not mean freedom for everyone. Hans Hoffmann is repeatedly imprisoned under Paragraph 175, which criminalizes homosexuality. Nevertheless, over the decades, he continues his quest for freedom and love, even if he finds it in the most unusual places.

Release Date : 2021-11-18

Language :GermanEnglishSpanish

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : FreibeuterFilmRohfilm

Production Country : AustriaGermany

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Hans Hoffmann

Original Name : Franz Rogowski

Gender : Male

Character Name : Viktor

Original Name : Georg Friedrich

Gender : Male

Character Name : Leo Giese

Original Name : Anton von Lucke

Gender : Male

Character Name : Oskar

Original Name : Thomas Prenn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard 1968

Original Name : Thomas Stecher

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard 1945

Original Name : Alfred Hartung

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard 1957

Original Name : Thomas Wehling

Gender : Male

Character Name : Buddy Viktor

Original Name : Mex Schlüpfer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ally

Original Name : David Burnell IV

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Officer

Original Name : Fabian Stumm

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : Joachim Schönfeld

Gender : Male

Character Name : Judge

Original Name : Klaus Huhle

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prosecutor

Original Name : Andreas Patton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Criminal defense attorney

Original Name : Daniel Wagner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sanitary room attendant

Original Name : Ulrich Faßnacht

Gender : Male

Character Name : American soldier

Original Name : Johannes Cramer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Barkeeper

Original Name : Dan Lestrade

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gay man at the toilet

Original Name : Ernst Sigot

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-04-16

It's curious to think that it is only fairly recently (1994!) that West Germany abolished it's odious "paragraph 175" legislation that imposed criminal penalties on homosexual men. Franz Rogowski is "Hoffman", a serial cottager who is frequently imprisoned for breaching this law. The film tells the rather bleak and depressing tale of his life spent behind bars: of his loves whilst there - notably with "Oskar" (Thomas Prenn) and "Leo" (Anton von Lucke); of his developing friendship with the straight and initially hostile "Viktor" (Georg Friedrich) and of the brutality of the prison system that reduced his quality of life to little more than that of street vermin. Rogowski (who reminds me a little of Joaquin Phoenix) is on good form as the story pans out; his character runs an whole gamut of emotions from love, despair, frustration and - very occasionally - joy, he even thinks of breaking out! By the time he is declared "legal", the character has become so institutionalised that freedom is nowhere near as attractive as he had expected it to be. It's not an easy film to watch, this one - made more potent by the fact the for much of the period he spent incarcerated, there were American soldiers guarding the jail too! The pace is slow, and the narrative switches timelines from time to time, so I needed to concentrate, but it is worth it if you are remotely interested in the ordeals of a man jailed just for being gay!