Despair (1978)
Release Year: 1978
Nation: Germany
Alternative Title: Despair - Eine Reise ins Licht, Desesperación, Uma Viagem para a Luz, Désespoir, Den desperate mand, Kohti auringonlaskua, Apognosi, Utazás a fénybe, Dobbeltgjengeren, Desperacja
Director: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Writer: Tom Stoppard, Vladimir Nabokov
Summary
Despair (1978), directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, is an adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov's novel of the same name. Set against the backdrop of early-1930s Berlin during the Weimar Republic and the Nazis' rise to power, the film explores themes of identity, desperation, and the human psyche. It revolves around Hermann Hermann, a Russian emigrant chocolatier struggling with his life and Jewish roots amidst the political turmoil. Fassbinder's characteristic visual style and exploration of social issues make 'Despair' a significant contribution to German cinema.