Whispers of Freedom

"The GDR is an outpost of peace and socialism"

 

Whispers of Freedom, written and directed by Brandon Ashplant, delicately dramatises one of the most significant individual stories from one of history’s most important periods.

 

Starting back in July 1985, post-WWII Germany had now been split into two for the best part of forty years, the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) in the west and the German/Deutsche Democratic Republic (GDR) in the east, where the film’s story based on true events is set. And that story is one of Chris Gueffroy (played here by Cameron Ashplant), who in 1989 was the last person to be shot while attempting an escape over the dividing Berlin Wall.

 

As was the case for many East Germans throughout this time, Gueffroy’s disillusionment towards the occupying regime and its oppression on freedoms grew as he did, but his ongoing resistance to toe the party line and generally do his duty, would lead to a life of great difficulty, prospects of education, employment and general living conditions would be limited, if not completely withheld, and while leaving was not impossible, it was almost always unimaginable. His ideals and his convictions in them would also mean hardships not just for himself but for friends and family, specifically his mother Karin (Makkena), herself wishing to just be content with their lot, knowing it could easily be so much worse.

 

Yet while Whispers of Freedom uses Gueffroy’s fascinating specific narrative as its focus, the film is also painting a bigger and more encompassing picture of what living under this “socialist dream” truly meant for East Germans, many like Chris, desperate for change, but many others also like Karin, desperate just to keep their heads down and be thankful. It moves between a historical drama and a character driven one touching on the major points along the way but ultimately delivers on both, and the films harsh grays, low lighting and overall minimalist mise-en-scène, all combine effectively to instantly transport its audience back in time forty years to evoke a palpable sense of what such a life might have been like in a country divided by Cold War tensions.

 

And to somehow portray every nuance of something so significant through such a contained, particular human story, in under twenty-five minutes no less, speaks volumes to Ashplant’s abilities as a screenwriter, fully demonstrating how important this point in human history truly was, something that perhaps might not have been truly grasped going in but surely will be going out.

 

In the filmmakers words, Whispers of Freedom looks to ultimately “serve as a timely reminder to audiences the world over about those who are fleeing oppression in search of genuine political freedom”, which is something still so incredibly pertinent today, meaning Whispers of Freedom isn’t just a highly accomplished piece of filmmaking, but also a critical piece of work we should all pay attention to, and ideally, learn from.

Now watch Chris Buick's Video Film Review on our YouTube channel of Whispers of Freedom.