New German Cinema

New German Cinema - Neuer Deutscher Film - (1960s–1980s) was a radical, auteur-driven film movement (known as Neuer Deutscher Film) that emerged in West Germany to reject commercial "Papa’s Kino" (Papa's cinema) and confront postwar Germany's trauma, politics, and social hypocrisy. Key characteristics include radical auteurism (personal vision), low-budget funding, social critique, and experimental art-house aesthetics that explored identity, alienation, and German history.

In response to the creative and economic stagnation of West German cinema, a group of young filmmakers released the Oberhausen Manifesto on 28 February 1962.

1962 Oberhausen Manifesto

“The decline of traditional German cinema eventually removed theeconomic basis of that filmmaking tradition—the expression and practice of which we rejected. Through this new cinema has brought a change in Our life…

German short films created by young scriptwriters, filmmakers and producers have won many awards at international festivals in recent years, and have been able to gain international critical acclaim. These works [films] and these successes show that the future of German cinema rests in the hands of those who are able to speak a new filmic language…

We announce our intention to create a new German cinema of the future. This new cinema needs new freedom. Freedom from established industry conventions. Independence from external influence of trading partners. Freedom from control by certain ideological groups…

Our intellectual, disciplined and economical approach to the production of new German cinema is evident. We are willing to prepare to take the financial risk involved. Old movies are dead. We are confident about the new movie...” Key Characteristics

Auteur-Driven & Personal Vision: Directors like Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Werner Herzog, and Wim Wenders created highly individualistic films.

Social and Political Focus: Influenced by French New Wave and Italian Neorealism, these films utilized unconventional narratives, low-budget aesthetics, and often featured gritty realism.

Critique of Society: Highlighting marginalized characters, bourgeoisie hypocrisy, and the legacy of fascism.

Independent Production: Many directors belonged to the Filmverlag der Autoren, allowing them to fund and distribute their own films outside typical commercial studios.

KEY DIRECTORS AND FILMS:

RAINER WERNER FASSBINDER

- Gods of the Plague (1969)

- Katzelmacher (1969)

- Love Is Colder Than Death (1969)

- The American Soldier (1970)

- The Niklashausen Journey (1970)

- Beware of a Holy Whore (1971)

- Rio das Mortes (1971)

- The Merchant of Four Seasons (1971)

- Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day (1972)

- The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972)

- World on a Wire (1973)

- Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974)

- Effi Briest (1974)

- Martha (1974)

- Fox and His Friends (1975)

- Chinese Roulette (1976)

- Fear of Fear (1976)

- I Only Want Love (1976)

- Mother Kusters Goes to Heaven (1976)

- Satan's Brew (1976)

- The Stationmaster's Wife (1976)

- The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979)

- The Third Generation (1979)

- In a Year With 13 Moons (1978)

- Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980)

WERNER HERZOG

- Even Dwarfs Started Small (1970)

- Fata Morgana (1971)

- Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)

- The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974)

- Stroszek (1977)

- Fitzcarraldo (1982)

WIM WENDERS

- Alice in the Cities (1974)

- Wrong Move (1975)

- Kings of the Road (1976)

- The American Friend (1977)

- Paris, Texas (1984)

- Wings of Desire (1987)

MARGARETHE VON TROTTA

- The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum (1975)

- The Second Awakening of Christa Klages (1978)

- Sisters, or the Balance of Happiness (1979)

- Marianne and Juliane (1981)

VOLKER SCHLÖNDORFF

- Young Törless (1966)

- The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum (1975)

- Coup de Grace (1976)

- The Tin Drum (1979)

ALEXANDER KLUGE

- Yesterday Girl (1966)

- Artists Under the Big Top: Perplexed (1968)

- The Big Mess (1971)

- Part-Time Work of a Domestic Slave (1973)

HELMA SANDERS-BRAHMS

- Earthquake in Chile (1974)

- Unter Dem Pflaster ist Der Strand (1975)

1978 Anthology film GERMANY IN AUTUMN

(Directed by

Alf Brustellin

Hans Peter Cloos

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Alexander Kluge

Beate Mainka-Jellinghaus

Maximiliane Mainka

Edgar Reitz

Katja Rupé

Volker Schlöndorff

Peter Schubert

Bernhard Sinkel)