DEFA is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. Since 1946, the East German state film studio has been a place where propaganda was produced and control and censorship were the order of the day—yet at the same time, it was home to great artists who repeatedly fought to carve out creative freedom. We’re celebrating the legacy of these directors where it belongs: at the newly renovated Kino International on Karl-Marx-Allee, the former DEFA premiere theater—now featuring Christie laser projection, 4K, and Dolby 7.1. 

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Over eight Sundays, we’ll be screening outstanding works that have lost none of their power to this day—in the original German version with English subtitles.

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TRACE OF STONES disappeared from theaters after just a few days—and wasn’t allowed to be shown again until 23 years later. At a large construction site, a charismatic foreman, a young party secretary, and a woman they both love cross paths. Frank Beyer’s film is sharp, witty, and uncomfortable. It explores power, idealism, and the price of truth.