Große Freiheit

Jail movies have always formed a fascinating sub-genre of film history: the human condition appears effectively amplified within the confinements of prison cells, corridors, and yards. Austrian director Sebastian Meise makes excellent use of spatial limitations in setting his third film, the fictional period piece GROSSE FREIHEIT, almost entirely within a penitentiary.
The story revolves around a young man called Hans who moves between freedom and prison on a regular basis since he insists on having consensual (yet illegal) gay sex. Paragraph 175 of the German Criminal Code, established in 1871, guarantees his prosecution. The narrative covers the years directly following World War II all the way until 1969, when “simple homosexuality” was finally decriminalized.
Franz Rogowski is a perfectly charismatic leading man precisely because of his quiet, introverted acting, but it is Georg Friedrich who takes on the even more interesting part as Hans’ long-time prison partner, slowly giving in to his romantic involvement. An impossible love story takes shape. Meise has a firm grasp on his character study, and he thankfully underplays all the latent pathos it contains, producing a sober, down-to-earth, yet emotionally involving romance. (Stefan Grissemann)

In the presence of Sebastian Meise and members of the team.

Sebastian Meise: PRISES DE VUES (2003, K), RANDOM (2005, K), DÆMONEN (2006, K), STILL LIFE (2011), OUTING (2012)