I saw Ein verborgenes Leben last night. Before she issued my ticket the woman at the counter asked to confirm I knew the film is three hours long. I didn’t understand what she was asking, and eloquently asked „Huh?“ She repeated. I understood the words, but couldn’t really figure out what it was she was asking. I said yes, paid, received my ticket.
Advertisements were shown before the film, including an ad for Norwegian Cruise Lines, showing an immense cruise ship near a Scandinavian coast. The prospective consumer is encouraged to Feel Free. I looked at this image, this floating hotel for some 4,000 and I saw a huge floating prison. On this thing one is locked in a big steel box surrounded by water. I’ve been in ports where these dock: Split, Dubrovnik, Oslo. They are monstrous.
There is a scene in the film where Jägerstätter is in Brandenburg-Görden some months before he is executed. He is told if he signs the offered statement he can go free. „I am free,“ he replies.
