Die Silberhöhe

Since the collapse of the Wall, half of the population of East-Germany has left the region. Director Britta Hosman makes a documentary about stay-behinds, in this case residents of Die Silberhöhe ('Silver Hill'), a typical GDR quarter. Many old blocks of flats are vacated or demolished - a gigantic, dinosaur-like grab breaks off big chunks from a building. A notice shows the renovation plan 'Silberhöhe auf dem Weg zur Waldstadt'. But an elderly woman mutters that it will more likely become a 'Seniorenstadt'. Youngsters are having a hard time. Hosman follows a boy who through his job in a restaurant tries to find regular work and a house. But he must accept all jobs Bundesweit and when he sees over a house in the neighbourhood, people tell him that it might very well be demolished. Nevertheless, the boy retains a certain phlegmatic optimism. A middle-aged woman now works as a postman and misses the former community spirit. The peaceful, often quite empty shots reflect the social stagnancy and desolation.