L'insaisissable

Know right from the start that NO PLACE TO GO is definitely NOT the kind of film likely to have a lot of appeal to most western filmgoers. And if you're looking for "the feel-good film of the year," THIS ISN'T IT! It's a hard-hitting tragedy, the type of film that Hollywood greenlighters can't reject FAST enough.

The film is based on the late stages of the life of director Oskar Roehler's mother, prominent German novelist (and devout Leninist) Giseta Elsner. The story begins with the fall of the Berlin wall and the end of Communism in Germany -- events that sent her personal and professional life into a tailspin (her novels had always sold better in communist East Germany than in her native West). She comes across uncannily as a real-life Norma Desmond (from SUNSET BOULEVARD) -- a self-indulgent once-prominent woman with garish tastes who is fighting a losing battle with a major mid-life crisis. For Desmond, the advent of talking pictures meant no roles to play; for Giseta Elsner, the fall of East Germany meant -- no place to go. She tried resettling in the new Berlin, but found herself to be an anachronism who just didn't fit in at all.

Hannelore Elsner (no relation to the real-life character) gives a performance that's every bit as convincing as Gloria Swanson's was as Desmond. And if you're a fan of black-and-white cinematography, I can't recommend Haden Bodganski's work here highly enough (it'll NEVER survive the transition to the small screen, trust me). Like I said, the film is definitely not for everyone, but it's one that I plan to tell a couple of film scholars with whom I have occasional contact with to check out.

The movie is a master piece of German arthouse. Outstandig cast. A very strong and touchy story. It represents the situation in recent Germany after the fall of the wall. The German actress Hannelore Elsner shows that she is one of the best character actresses of these days.

Excellent cast. A must for all arthouse fans! The main actress Hannelore Elsner does an amazingly intense acting. If you like the German tradition of Fassbinder or the French Nouvelle Vague you will love this movie. It won the German Film Award this year.

When the Berlin Wall is torn down in 1989, a left-wing author Hanna Flanders (Hannelore Elsner) is completely shocked and sees no future for herself without the DDR. She decides to move to Berlin to start over with her former lover but everything has changed so profoundly that she just cannot find her place in the world anymore.

Even though at first the movie seems like a primarily societal one, the politics provide only the backdrop for Hanna's personal journey and the examination of feelings of alienation in the modern world. The beautiful, classy black & white cinematography and the mise en scène emphasize Hanna's loneliness and the film focuses entirely on her. She meets a lot of people on her travels, both old friends and relatives as well as new acquaintances, but none of them stay in the picture for long and very few understand how she feels about the DDR or life in general. They all have different views on the events, thus providing a look into the minds of ordinary Germans of the era, so in the end the film does have a strong societal level too, despite the main attention being on personal feelings.

The character of Hanna Flanders is based on director Roehler's mother, German writer Gisela Elsner who committed suicide in 1992, so I can imagine the film having been a very personal project for Roehler. Luckily his strong directorial style makes the story appealing to the general public too and not just to those familiar with Elsner's life and works. Hannelore Elsner (no relation to Gisela Elsner despite the name) also does a very convincing job in showing Hanna Flanders' emotions throughout the film. I think I can safely recommend No Place to Go to anyone who is into bleak, depressing portrayals of anxiety and loneliness, but the presentation of the social climate of the era should also fascinate those who are interested in the Division of Germany and the end of it.

What happens if the world turns upside down over night? Socialist writer Hannah loses faith in life when the Berlin Wall comes down. Neglected as a writer, and also as a lover, she tries to find a new grip in East Berlin. Excellently played, beautifully shot, wonderful music. Very memorable female hero, and fantastically casted supporting actors as well. Very sad but very touching story challenging social conventions.