Cinema
ZDF Visits the Latücht Cinema · Report & Discussion - BEING EAST GERMAN
Friday, 23/10/2026 / 07:30 PM - 10:30 PM / Cinema latücht
They never lived through the GDR, yet they feel that their East German roots have shaped them. An event presented by ZDF in collaboration with the Latücht Cinema.
They never lived through the GDR, yet they feel it: their East German roots have shaped them. A ZDF production in collaboration with the Latücht Cinema.
Germany 2026, TV documentary from the series “37° Leben,” Writer: Angela Giese, Camera: Moritz Bauer, Lennert Schweizer, ZDF Editor: Katrin Müller-Walde, Running time: 27 minutes
How does an East German background shape the lived reality of a generation that never experienced the division or reunification, yet still feels its consequences to this day? “37° Leben” follows two young people from the post-reunification generation as they consciously grapple with their East German identity. Siska was born in 1999 in the Westerzgebirge region of Saxony. Community and a sense of belonging are important to her. Nevertheless, she quickly realizes that small-town life is becoming too confining for her. It is only while studying in Freiburg that Siska becomes aware of her East German identity. As part of the “Wir sind der Osten” initiative, the 27-year-old wants to stand up for the post-reunification generation and give it a voice. Hang was born in Dresden in 1993 as the daughter of Vietnamese contract workers. From an early age, she found herself caught between three worlds—East German, German, and Vietnamese—and felt lost for a long time. She grew up surrounded by East German friends, racism, and the Vietnamese community in Dresden, which placed high demands on the young woman. For a long time, Hang tried to live up to her family’s expectations until she could no longer bear the pressure and broke free.
Following the screening, ZDF editor Katrin Müller-Walde will be available for a discussion with the audience.
Moderators:
Holm-Henning Freier, film and television scholars
____________________________________________________________
The cinema bar opens at 6:30 p.m.!
Reservations by phone: 0395 5666611 (Mon–Fri: 9 a.m.–4 p.m.)
All statements without guarantee.
