Stars

One of the more remarkable films to come out of East Germany, Konrad Wolf's Stars (1959) managed to break several taboos within the communist government's rigidly controlled film industry. Set in 1943, the story focuses on lowly Wehrmacht corporal and would-be artist Walter (Jürgen Frohriep), who is part of the occupying force in an isolated Bulgarian village. When a transit camp is set up for Greek Jews being transported to Auschwitz, Walter finds himself drawn to a female prisoner named Ruth (Sasha Krusharska), who's facing her final (and most likely fatal) deportation. Walter's feelings ultimately force him to not only question what's happening around him, but also examine his own role in the battle of good versus evil. Working from a script by Bulgarian-Jewish writer Angel Wagenstein, Stars serves up an uncommonly sympathetic view of European Jewish life, incorporating Yiddish songs and Ladino dialogue. Perhaps even more unusual, however, is its sympathetic portrayal of a Wehrmacht soldier. The result is an emotionally raw experience that beautifully frames a fragile human drama within the context of inconceivable tragedy. Winner of a Special Jury Prize at Cannes (where it was presented as a Bulgarian entry), Stars is a milestone film in the history of Holocaust-related cinema. DVD extras include an interview with Wagenstein, historical background on Bulgaria during the Nazi occupation, and a critical essay by film scholar Thomas Elsaesser. Highly recommended. (P. Hall)