Film Screening
Trace of Stones
![Traces of Stones Traces of Stones](/resources/files/jpg1314/spur_der_steine_foto_06-formatkey-jpg-w320m.jpg)
An outstanding film adaptation by Frank Beyer of the bestselling novel “Trace of Stones”
Dir. Frank Beyer
Germany, 1966
DVD, 134 min
The film is set on a construction site in Schkona, a village near Leipzig in what was then the GDR. Hannes Balla, a carpenter and brigadier, works there. Despite disregarding the bureaucratic regulations of the planned economy, Balla and his crew work as one of the most efficient work brigades on the building site. They do not hesitate to acquire necessary materials forcefully when needed. Although their methods are unconventional, their productivity results in them being tolerated by the construction management.
The working atmosphere is shaken when Werner Horrath, the new manager, starts working on the construction site. However, the initial rivalry between Horrath and Balla quickly fades when they both recognize their potential. It is only when Kati Klee, a new engineer, is hired that the situation on the construction site spirals out of control.
Frank Beyer is considered one of the most important and internationally renowned filmmakers of the GDR. Despite his increasingly critical stance towards the SED (the Socialist Unity Party of Germany, the governing party of East Germany) over the years, he was awarded several prizes there, including the GDR National Prize.
Details
Goethe-Institut Chicago
150 N Michigan Ave
Suite 420
IL 60601 Chicago
Language: German with English subtitles
Part of series 70 Years of German Films
Free and open to the public, please register in advance and bring photo ID for check-in