The year 1933: Successful actress Maria Rheine is in love with her Jewish colleague Mark Löwenthal. When the Nazis implement the racist Nuremberg Laws, their relationship is severely endangered. Defiant Maria decides to stay together with Mark and ends her promising career: She assumes a Jewish identity and continues to work under the name Manja Löwenthal. She and Mark perform at the Jewish Theatre in Berlin, until they become victims of an intrigue: Their colleague Judith, who has a crush on Mark, denounces them to the secret police.
Acting
Corinna Harfouch's devastating transformation from star to invisible woman.
Direction
Kühn's intimate framing makes history feel crushingly personal.
Director
Siegfried Kühn
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Made in East Germany just before the Wall fell, this was one of the GDR's last major historical dramas — its quiet radicalism feels more potent now. HEAVY
Corinna Harfouch became one of Germany's most celebrated actresses; this early role already showed her gift for characters who implode beautifully. FREE
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