Maria Braun marries a young soldier during the final days of World War II, only to lose him to the chaos of war. As Germany rebuilds, so does Maria, rising through the ranks of postwar prosperity with unwavering ambition. But beneath her success lies a deep reckoning with the lingering ghosts of fascism and a society eager to rewrite its own history. Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s most internationally successful film is both a searing character study and an exploration how ambition and survival intertwine with the unspoken remnants of a dark past.

Our screening on Tuesday 27th May will be introduced by Professor Carolin Duttlinger, Professor of German Literature and Culture (University of Oxford). 

Reviews

‘Fassbinder himself was cruel and distant to those around him, particularly those who loved him, and in Maria Braun, he created an indelible monster who is perversely fascinating.’
★★★★★
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times