Synopsis
Sahra Wagenknecht’s diary is bursting at the seams. Interviews, emergency talks, press conferences and photo shoots; it’s all in a day’s work for left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht. Hers is a life full of applause and admiration but also extreme pressure, doubt, intrigue and public hostility. Wagenknecht’s greatest motivation is the fight against the rise of the “new right” in parliament and society. Director Sandra Kaudelka filmed the politician and her team, up close and personal for two years, capturing public appearances, interactions with colleagues, and private moments. The result is a dense chronicle of a nerve-wracking time: In the spring of 2017, half a year before federal elections, The Left (Die Linke) stands a chance of becoming part of the German federal government for the first time since reunification; in early 2019 Wagenknecht succumbs to exhaustion and announces her withdrawal from political leadership.WAGENKNECHT is a multi-layered film about idealism and the commitment to fight for one’s convictions. It tells the story of a life inexorably linked to politics – and of the cost of standing one’s ground amidst the storm of absurdity and power that is the Berlin establishment. The film premieres this February at the Berlinale and will be released in German cinemas on March 18th.