After the War/Before the Wall: German Film 1945–1960
After the fall of the Third Reich, the German film industry took a sharp turn inward, producing a body of work that both celebrated and questioned notions of German nationalism. Dismissively referred to as "Papa’s Kino" or "Daddy’s Cinema" and characterized by the dominance of the Heimatfilm (homeland film), the works of this period crossed the boundaries of established genres such as the war film, melodrama, musical, and comedy while remaining firmly entrenched in the exploration of modern German identity. Often neglected by film historians, this period features some of the most accomplished works from such internationally renowned figures of German cinema as Peter Lorre, Robert Siodmak and Romy Schneider.