Great Freedom
DirectorSebastian Meise
Writer
  • Thomas Reider
  • Sebastian Meise
Producer
  • Sabine Moser
  • Oliver Neumann
  • Benny Dreschel
Starring
CinematographyCrystel Fournier
EditingJoana Scrinzi
Music
Studio
  • FreibeuterFilm
  • Rohfilm Productions
Distributor
  • Filmladen Filmverleih (Austria)
  • Piffl Medien (Germany)
Released8 July 2021 (Cannes); 18 November 2021 (Germany); 19 November 2021 (Austria)
Runtime116 minutes
Country
LanguageGerman
Gross$217,227[2]

Great Freedom (German: Große Freiheit) is a 2021 drama film co-written and directed by Sebastian Meise.[3] It was selected to compete in the Un Certain Regard section at the 74th Cannes Film Festival,[4] which won the Jury Prize in the same section.[5] It won the Golden Giraldillo at the Seville European Film Festival.[6] It was selected as the Austrian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards,[7] and on 22 December 2021, it was shortlisted for the award ceremony.[8]

The film was released theatrically on 18 November 2021 in Germany by Piffl Medien and the following day in Austria by Filmladen Filmverleih.[9][10]

Plot

The film is presented in a nonlinear narrative, interwoven between three time settings utilizing flashbacks and flashforwards.

In 1968, Hans Hoffmann is imprisoned for cottaging. While sewing in the prison's thread mill, he spots a former cellmate named Viktor Bix, who was sentenced to 20 years for a murder—and is soon up for parole.[1][11][12][13] He later meets a young inmate named Leo, with whom he had been exchanging eye contact and is also imprisoned for cottaging. During yard time, Hans attempts to rescue Leo from bullying, culminating in the assault of another inmate. Hans ends up in solitary confinement (where Viktor sneaks him some cigarettes and matches) and reminisces about his life.

In 1945, Hans was a concentration camp inmate due to his sexual orientation. After the liberation of the camp by the Allied forces, he was transferred into the same prison he went into in 1968, because homosexuality remains illegal. He meets Viktor, who is aggressive towards Hans at first, but then he notices that Hans has a number tattoo on his arm, and offers to cover it up with another picture. Hans agrees.

In 1957, Hans is imprisoned again for secretly cohabiting with his boyfriend Oskar, who is put into the same prison. Oskar is burdened by his inability to live his true life and commits suicide. Viktor relays the news to Hans during yard time, and Hans bursts out in tears. Viktor hugs him in an attempt to help, and they both are thrown into solitary confinement.

When Hans enters the prison in 1968, he sees that Viktor has significantly deteriorated and started using intravenous drugs. Leo informs Hans that he told the police that Hans forced him to commit homosexual acts; Hans signs a confession to that, and Leo is let go. Hans offers Viktor to help him go cold turkey. Viktor bribes a guard, and Hans is transferred into Viktor's cell. Viktor greatly suffers from withdrawal and tries to secretly inject himself with drugs during the night, but Hans wakes up and notices that, then flushes the drugs down the toilet and hugs Viktor as he tries to break away. In the morning, they wake up in the same bed.

Next year, Hans notices an issue of Der Spiegel with a large story about the partial repeal of Paragraph 175 at the cover: homosexual acts are now decriminalised. Despondent Hans tells Viktor that he is getting released and will not be back.

After release, Hans immediately goes to the basement of a gay bar and sees many men openly having sex with each other. Hans exits the bar, picks a brick and smashes the window of a jewellery shop, takes several items and puts them into his pockets, then sits down at the kerb, waiting for the police to arrive.

Reception

Critical reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 97% based on 60 reviews from critics, with an average rating of 8.1/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "With intelligence and sensitivity, Great Freedom draws on past injustices to present a beautifully crafted tribute to the persistence of the human spirit"[14] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 89 out of 100, based on 18 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[15]

Awards and nominations

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
Diagonale13 June 2021Diagonale Actor AwardGeorg Friedrich[16]
Diagonale Award for Best CameraCrystel Fournier[17]
VAM Award for Outstanding Production AchievementSabine Moser and Oliver Neumann[18]
Diagonale Award for Best EditingJoana Scrinzi[19]
Cannes Film Festival17 July 2021Un Certain Regard Jury PrizeSebastian Meise[20]
Queer Palm
Sarajevo Film Festival20 August 2021Heart of Sarajevo - Best FilmGreat Freedom[21]
CICAE Award
Heart of Sarajevo - Best ActorGeorg Friedrich
Festival du nouveau cinéma18 October 2021International Competition, Grand PrizeSebastian Meise[22]
Chicago International Film Festival24 October 2021Gold Q-HugoGreat Freedom[23]
Vienna International Film Festival31 October 2021Best Feature[24]
ExtraVALUE Film Award - Best Feature Film
Seville European Film Festival13 November 2021Golden Giraldillo Award for Best Film[25]
ASECAN AwardSebastian Meise[26]
Best ActorFranz Rogowski[27]
Zagreb Film Festival21 November 2021Golden Pram - Best Feature FilmGreat Freedom[28]
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival28 November 2021DDA Spotlight Award[29]
European Film Awards11 December 2021Best ActorFranz Rogowski[30]
Best ComposerNils Petter Molvaer and Peter Brötzmann
Best CinematographerCrystel Fournier
European University Film AwardGreat Freedom[31]
Austrian Film Awards30 June 2022Best Feature FilmSabine Moser, Oliver Neumann, Benny Drechsel, Sebastian Meise[32]
Best DirectorSebastian Meise
Best ActorGeorg Friedrich
Franz Rogowski
Best Supporting ActorThomas Prenn
Best ScreenplayThomas Reider and Sebastian Meise
Best CinematographyCrystel Fournier
Best Make-UpHeiko Schmidt, Roman Braunhofer and Kerstin Gaecklein
Best MusicPeter Brötzmann and Nils Petter Molvaer
Best EditingJoana Scrinzi
German Film Awards24 June 2022Best FilmBenny Drechsel, Sabine Moser and Oliver Neumann[33]
Best DirectorSebastian Meise
Best ActorFranz Rogowski
Best ScreenplayThomas Reider, Sebastian Meise
Best CinematographyCrystel Fournier
Best EditingJoana Scrinzi
Best Costume DesignTanja Hausner, Andrea Hölzl
Best Make-UpHeiko Schmidt, Roman Braunhofer and Kerstin Gaecklein
Deutscher Schauspielpreis9 September 2022Best Actor in a Dramatic Leading RoleFranz Rogowski[34]
Best Actor in a Dramatic Supporting RoleGeorg Friedrich
European Film Awards10 December 2022Lux AwardGreat Freedom[35]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Great Freedom (Große Freiheit)". Cineuropa. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  2. ^ "Great Freedom (2021)". 14775784. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  3. ^ "Great Freedom". Austrian Films. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  4. ^ Sharf, Zack (10 June 2021). "Cannes Film Festival 2021 Lineup: Sean Baker, Wes Anderson, and More Compete for Palme d'Or". IndieWire. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  5. ^ Soriano, Jianne (17 July 2021). "Cannes Film Festival 2021: Full Winners List". Tatler Asia. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  6. ^ Rivera, Alfonso (15 November 2021). "Great Freedom gets the Golden Giraldillo at the Seville European Film Festival". Cineuropa
  7. ^ "Oscar-Nominierung 2022: Sebastian Meises Film "Große Freiheit" ist der österreichische Kandidat für den Auslandsoscar" (in German). WKO. 12 October 2021. Archived from the original on 6 April 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  8. ^ Davis, Clayton (21 December 2021). "Oscars Shortlists Include Beyoncé, 'Spider-Man' and Two Jonny Greenwood Scores as France's 'Titane' Is Snubbed". Variety. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  9. ^ "Große Freiheit" (in German). Piffl Medien. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  10. ^ "Große Freiheit" (in German). Filmladen Filmverleih. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  11. ^ Barraclough, Leo (7 July 2021). "The Match Factory Sells Cannes Festival Title 'Great Freedom' to France's Paname, Debuts Teaser, Poster". Variety. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  12. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (2022-03-09). "Great Freedom review – formidably intelligent gay prison drama that finds liberty inside". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  13. ^ Jutton, Lee (2022-03-02). "GREAT FREEDOM: Love In A Hopeless Place". Film Inquiry. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  14. ^ "Great Freedom". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  15. ^ "Great Freedom (2022) Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  16. ^ "Diagonale-Schauspielpreise'22" (in German). Diagonale. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  17. ^ "Diagonale-Preis Bildgestaltung'22" (in German). Diagonale. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  18. ^ "VAM-Preis für außergewöhnliche Produktionsleistungen" (in German). Diagonale. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  19. ^ "Diagonale-Preis Schnitt'22" (in German). Diagonale. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  20. ^ ""Große Freiheit" gewinnt in Cannes' Un certain regard"
  21. ^ "27th Sarajevo Film Festival Awards". Sarajevo Film Festival. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  22. ^ "Le 50e Festival du nouveau cinéma dévoile son palmarès et se poursuit en ligne jusqu’au 31 octobre 2021". CTVM, October 18, 2021.
  23. ^ "Festival Award Winners". Chicago International Film Festival. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  24. ^ ""Große Freiheit" am Ende der große Sieger der 59. Viennale" (in German). Plus 24. 31 October 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  25. ^ "'GREAT FREEDOM', WINNER OF THE SEVILLA 2021 EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL | Festival de Cine de Sevilla". Seville European Film Festival. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  26. ^ "'GREAT FREEDOM', WINNER OF THE SEVILLA 2021 EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL | Festival de Cine de Sevilla". Seville European Film Festival. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  27. ^ "'GREAT FREEDOM', WINNER OF THE SEVILLA 2021 EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL | Festival de Cine de Sevilla". Seville European Film Festival. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  28. ^ Stojiljković, Marko (23 November 2021). "Great Freedom triumphs at Zagreb". cineuropa. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  29. ^ Abbatescianni, Davide (29 November 2021). "Andreas Kleinert's Dear Thomas wins the 25th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival". cineuropa. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  30. ^ "Europäischer Filmpreis: Erste Preise für "Große Freiheit"". Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  31. ^ "Five Films Nominated for EUFA 2021". European Film Academy. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  32. ^ Pavido, Marina (30 June 2022). "ÖSTERREICHISCHER FILMPREIS 2022 – DIE PREISTRÄGER". Cinema Austriaco. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  33. ^ "Grosse Freiheit • Deutscher Filmpreis". Deutscher Filmpreis. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  34. ^ Weis, Manuel (10 September 2022). "Die Gewinnerinnen und Gewinner des Deutschen Schauspielpreises". DWDL. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  35. ^ "LUX Audience Award – European Film Awards". European Film Academy. Retrieved 6 September 2022.