Sonnenallee

Sonnenallee is a humorous look back at life in the former GDR. The film exposes the system's darker sides, but it also shows that even in the grey socialist state there was drive, initiative and zest for life. The film's tone is thus both ironic and affectionate. At the same time, Sonnenallee tackles universal youth problems that most young people will recognise.

The protagonist is the teenager Micha, who lives at the short end of Sonnenallee. The street is divided in two: the larger half belongs to West Berlin, and the smaller half lies in East Berlin. Micha thus lives right next to a heavily guarded border crossing, and every day he has to put up with West German tourists shouting at him and regarding him like a monkey in a cage.

In episodic form, the film tells how Micha and his family and friends get round the many restrictions of everyday life, e.g. smuggling and the secret trade in forbidden Western music. Micha's biggest problem, however, is the lovely Miriam, whom until now he has had to make do with admiring from afar. How is he going to win her love?