The film "Eavesdropping Storm", which is called "The lives of others" in English and also translated "The Lives of Others", is a work that shocks the soul. The story takes place in Germany in the 1980s, in Democratic East Germany to be exact. A group of poets, playwrights, directors, and actors who love and pursue freedom have exposed every detail and privacy of their lives, including sex, under the surveillance of an authoritarian, brutal, and shameless security bureau. Liberal playwright Lazio Dreman's home is completely engulfed in a storm of surveillance without him noticing. From this group of people's courageous dedication to freedom, I understand why the cold-faced Wieslaar broadcasts "Smile" on demand.
The cultural ban and authoritarian reign of terror imposed by the East German authorities in the film made East German intellectuals panic, weak, brave and rebellious. The suicide figures of intellectuals are on the rise, and the authorities are desperate to hide them. It was after the suicide of his most esteemed friend, director Isca, that Lazio Dreman understood what he should do, at least not as weak and indifferent as before.
So reactionary articles appeared in the West German newspaper Mirror, which led to a series of crackdowns of conquest and domination, printers, searches, interrogations, Zio Dreman's wife Chris committed suicide in shame for betraying her husband, Until there was a false alarm - the printer was moved by the awakened Wisler, until after the lifting of the ban, Zio Dreman's new work, "Sonata of a Good Man" for the good Wisler was released. In the relaxed plot, what leaves the audience is not only resentment, but also more moving, as well as the passion and realization of the pursuit of freedom.
As an "Orientalized Western totalitarianism" East Germany, as a democratic East Germany, you can't see the shadow of "democracy" at all, Edgar Moran said in "Reflections on Europe" that for a long time, people always Democracy is defined by comparing absolute monarchy, tyranny and dictatorship. The characteristics of totalitarian regimes give us a better understanding of the nature of democracy. Reflecting on the "democratic" nature of East Germany, we are at a loss. All freedom, equality, and fraternity are shattered into nothingness in the beautiful lies and deceit weaved by false preachers. The immersive experience of the audience is either exciting or suffocating.
Smile is the source of human nature's self-emancipation, the seed of freedom, happiness and belonging, the spread of humanism, and contempt for totalitarian dictatorship. Reasons for betraying the authorities reluctantly at the risk of losing their lives.
How to truly smile in a country without freedom. And people's smiles are either veiled by ignorance and ignorance, or by the mask of the ruling class full of lies and deceit. So Wislaer chose to broadcast "Smile" on demand, but never smiled himself.
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