1989, the fall of the Berlin wall. Television crews trying, for days on end, to get an emblematic image which would crystallise the event: to no avail. Five years later, Farocki delivers a montage film of this footage, trying to define this ‚absent image'.
"Today, 5 years later, this material shows the extent to which the collective conscience was affected by the event, as well as all the efforts made to repress the trauma" declares the filmmaker.
(Production note)
Original title Die führende Rolle Director, scriptwriter, commentary Harun Farocki Researcher Tanja Baran Editor Max Reimann Narrator Harun Farocki Production Tele Potsdam, Berlin, 3sat, Mainz Producer Lew Hohmann Executive producer Marco Mundt TV-producer Inge Classen Format:video-BetaSp, col. 1:1,37 Length 35 Min. First broadcast 04.12.1994, 3sat
All Works of this Decade:
Words and GamesThe Chief Executive OfficerThe Advertisement InfoThe Expression of HandsStill LifeThe InterviewThe Ad GuyThe AppearanceThe Theater of the RetrainingKitchen HelpersWorkers Leaving the FactoryThe Leading RoleRetrainingA Day in the Life of a ConsumerShort Films by Peter WeissBefore your Eyes VietnamView of the City