Germany, Pale Mother

This highly personal account of Sanders-Brahms' own childhood was made for her daughter. Broken into three parts, it simultaneously traces the history of Germany before, during and after World War II, and her own history. In the first part she's the as yet unborn child who comments ironically on her parents; during the war the angle shifts as we watch the mother gather strength and their relationship develop; after the war the husband/ father returns, unwittingly bringing emotional destruction with him. The film is overloaded with visual symbolism and runs too long, but the concept and performances more than compensate for the flaws.