Margarethe von Trotta's 'Die bleierne Zeit' Streams on Arte

Margarethe von Trotta's 1981 film 'Die bleierne Zeit' (The German Sisters) is now available on Arte and its Mediathek. The film, which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, explores the impact of the Red Army Faction (RAF) on German society through the story of two sisters. Juliane (Jutta Lampe) works for a feminist magazine and fights for social reforms, while Marianne (Barbara Sukowa) joins the RAF. After Marianne goes underground, her son Jan is left with Juliane, and his father commits suicide. Juliane arranges foster care and becomes entangled in her sister's life. Following Marianne's arrest, Juliane visits her in prison and supports her despite ideological differences. Marianne dies in her cell, officially by suicide, but Juliane doubts this and investigates. The film is fictional but inspired by von Trotta's encounters with Christiane Ensslin, sister of RAF terrorist Gudrun Ensslin.