Great Freedom // Grosse Freiheit
Director: Sebastian Meise
Writer: Thomas Reider, Sebastian Meise
Producer: Sabine Moser, Oliver Neumann, Benny Drechsel
Cast: Franz Rogowski, Georg Friedrich, Anton von Lucke
Austria, Germany, 2021, 116 min, German with Hebrew subtitles
Courtesy of Lev Cinema 
Festivals & Awards:
Cannes Film Festival 2021 – Winner Un Certain Regard Jury Prize
Austria’s official submission for Best International Feature Film for the 94th Academy Awards
Athens International Film Festival 2021 – Winner Audience Award & Greek Film Critics Association Award
Sarajevo Film Festival 2021 – Winner Best Film & Best Actor
Jerusalem Film Festival 2021
Hamburg Film Festival 2021
Chicago International Film Festival 2021
Zurich Film Festival 2021
In association with the Austrian Cultural Forum
A Tel Aviv premiere of the anticipated Sebastian Meise film.
In West Germany, after the World War II, Hans is being repeatedly arrested for being gay. His freedom is being constantly threatened by Paragraph 175 of the German law, that dictates up to 10 years imprisonment for same sex relations. The only stable relationship in Hans’ life is with Viktor, his cellmate and a convicted murderer. What starts with a lot of hostility turns into something that can be called love.
Austrian director and screenwriter Sebastian Meise’ second full length feature is a cinematic masterpiece which includes an outstanding performance by lead actor Franz Rogowski.
“Great Freedom” won Meise the Jury Award of the “Un certain regard” section in the 2021 Cannes Festival.
Viewing is 18+.