Cinema
Trace of Stones
Spur der Steine
Frank Beyer · 1966
Synopsis
In 1959, on the vast Schkona construction site, disorganised by shortages and errors in the plans, the foreman Hannes Balla and his carpenters work fast, seize by force the materials they lack and mock the rules. At the same time arrive a new party secretary, Werner Horrath, an idealist and a married man, and a young engineer, Kati Klee. Horrath wins Balla over to his idea of better productivity, and the two men, between respect and rivalry, fall in love with Kati.
Context
The film is based on Erik Neutsch's novel of 1964, adapted by Beyer and Karl Georg Egel. Shot from May to October 1965, notably at Leuna and Schwedt, with Manfred Krug in the role of Balla, it was at first approved; but in December 1965, the eleventh plenum of the central committee condemned almost all film production about the present day. Shown in 1966 in Potsdam, it was withdrawn from cinemas after a few days and did not reappear in the GDR until autumn 1989.
Who it is for
A black and white film that mixes building-site comedy, a love story and debate within the party.
Prizes and reception
One of the banned DEFA films, kept off the screens from 1966 to 1989; shown at the Berlinale in 1990.