Travelling from her hometown near Zwickau in the south to the northern coast, Misselwitz journeys through East Germany by train, encountering a broad range of women along the way. From two young runaways to a couple celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary, to a woman who runs a children’s home, we encounter people from all walks of life sharing intimate confessions about their struggles, hopes and desires. Featuring beautiful black and white photography from cinematographer Thomas Plenert, this award-winning documentary caused a sensation upon its release, and is often considered to be Misselwitz’s most significant film.

This screening will be followed by a Q&A with Helke Misselwitz via Zoom.

‘Over and above the almost sensational signal it sent at the time, After Winter Comes Spring Winter Adé continues to be an artistically important and aesthetically coherent film, in which the interaction between directing, cinematography and editing yields a composition that one could almost call choreographic. But above all it is the accuracy and tenderness of its observations that make the film stand out in late DEFA film history.’