The British Film Institute has detailed its upcoming Blu-ray relase of Helma Sanders-Brahms'
Germany, Pale Mother. The release will be available for purchase on May 25.
Set during the Third Reich and its aftermath, this harrowing tale of love and war is a neglected classic of New German Cinema. Based on acclaimed director Helma Sanders-Brahms' mother's life, the film explores the devastating impact of war on family and relationships. The Blu-ray edition exclusively contains a shorter theatrical cut.
Hans (Ernst Jacobi) and Lene (Eva Mattes) scarcely have time to meet and marry before Hans is sent away to fight, leaving Lene to give birth alone and struggle through the war with a newborn baby daughter.
Savaged upon its release by critics, who baulked at Sanders-Brahms' bravely subjective take on recent history, Germany Pale Mother was heavily truncated for its limited cinema release. Now the BFI presents the film restored to its original length for the first time.
Special Features:
- Newly remastered High Definition presentation
- Original theatrical trailer
- Germany Pale Mother – theatrical cut (Helma Sanders-Brahms, 1980, 123 mins); Blu-ray exclusive presentation of the shorter version
- Hermann mein Vater (Helma Sanders-Brahms, 1987, 57 mins): fascinating companion piece in which Sanders-Brahms accompanies her father to Normandy, where he was posted with occupying German forces in 1940-41
- Illustrated booklet with contributions by Anne Sanders, Erica Carter, Margaret Deriaz and Caren Willig, and technical credits