German children's films from Babelsberg

The Book

The DEFA children's films enjoyed great popularity in the GDR because of their lovely style and thematic diversity. Klaus-Dieter Felsmann highlights for the first time the role the DEFA children's film played in West Germany. At this time of political division, the children's film was a point of contact between both states. Felsmann analyses he position of the DEFA children's film in the children's cinema of West Germany and in film festivals, its public reception and its relevance for the development of a children film culture. Bernd Sahling talks with DEFA directors of children's films:

• Helmut Dziuba,
• Hannelore Unterberg,
• Rolf Losansky and
• Günter Meyer

The directors talk about their work and give insight into motivations and production processes of the films.

Samples:

•  Table of Contents (18.49 KB)
•  Foreword by Helmut Morsbach (former chairman of the DEFA-Foundation, from January 2010) (24 KB)

The Authors

Klaus-Dieter Felsmann (born 1951) is a freelance journalist, festival curator and and has been the director of the "Buckower Mediengespräche” since 1997.

Bernd Sahling (born 1961) is a documentary and feature film director and and regularly holds workshops on children's films. He worked as assistant director for Helmut Dziuba, Hannelore Unterberg and Rolf Losansky at the DEFA feature film studio with. After the German reunification he made the films "Die Blindgänger" (2003/04) and "Kopfüber" (2011-2013) among others.