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Solo Sunny

DDR 1978-1980 Spielfilm

Sunny lives in the decaying neighbourhood of Prenzlauer Berg. All decked out as a pop star, she and her band play small gigs in East Germany’s bars and community centres. She dreams of a solo career, but her reality is stubbornly unglamorous. The neighbours are disturbed by her lifestyle; men don’t live up to her expectations; audiences are narrow-minded, and the band finally throws her out. But Sunny doesn’t give up … In "Solo Sunny", the pursuit of happiness collides with an obdurate society. This final film by Konrad Wolf (1925–1982) was his biggest box-office hit. It struck a chord with audiences in both East and West Germany. Wolf believed that was because it "addressed a creeping inhumanity in daily life". "Solo Sunny" was co-directed by famed screenwriter Wolfgang Kohlhaase, known for his Berlin films. He knew the singer Sanije Torka, whose life was the foundation of the Sunny character. Renate Krössner received the Silver Bear at the 1980 Berlinale for her portrayal of the self-assured outsider.

The world premiere of the digitally-restored 4K marks the start of Konrad Wolf Year in honour of the 100th anniversary of his birth.

Source: 75. Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin (Catalogue)

 

Credits

Director

  • Konrad Wolf

Screenplay

  • Konrad Wolf
  • Wolfgang Kohlhaase

Director of photography

  • Eberhard Geick

Editing

  • Evelyn Carow

Music

  • Günther Fischer

Cast

  • Renate Krößner
    Ingrid "Sunny" Sommer
  • Alexander Lang
    Ralph
  • Heide Kipp
    Christine
  • Dieter Montag
    Harry
  • Klaus Brasch
    Norbert
  • Fred Düren
    Arzt
  • Ulrich Anschütz
    Grafiker
  • Ursula Braun
    Frau Pfeiffer
  • Michael Christian
    Mann bei Sunny
  • Regine Doreen
    Monika

Production company

  • DEFA-Studio für Spielfilme (Potsdam-Babelsberg) (Künstlerische Arbeitsgruppe "Babelsberg")

Alle Credits

Director

  • Konrad Wolf

Co-Director

  • Wolfgang Kohlhaase

Assistant director

  • Doris Borkmann

Screenplay

  • Konrad Wolf
  • Wolfgang Kohlhaase

Scenario

  • Wolfgang Kohlhaase

Script editor

  • Dieter Wolf

Director of photography

  • Eberhard Geick

Assistant camera

  • Eckhart Hartkopf

Still photography

  • Dieter Lück

Production design

  • Alfred Hirschmeier

Set construction

  • Gisela Schultze
  • Lothar Kuhn
  • Dietrich Tillack

Make-up artist

  • Jürgen Holzapfel
  • Irmela Holzapfel
  • Christa Eifler

Costume design

  • Rita Bieler

Editing

  • Evelyn Carow

Sound

  • Konrad Walle

Music

  • Günther Fischer

Arrangement

  • Jutta Voigt (Musikalische Beratung)

Music performer

  • Günther-Fischer-Sextett (DD)
  • Günther Fischer

Vocals

  • Regine Doberschütz

Cast

  • Renate Krößner
    Ingrid "Sunny" Sommer
  • Alexander Lang
    Ralph
  • Heide Kipp
    Christine
  • Dieter Montag
    Harry
  • Klaus Brasch
    Norbert
  • Fred Düren
    Arzt
  • Ulrich Anschütz
    Grafiker
  • Ursula Braun
    Frau Pfeiffer
  • Michael Christian
    Mann bei Sunny
  • Regine Doreen
    Monika
  • Klaus Händel
    Bernd
  • Hansjürgen Hürrig
    Hubert
  • Olaf Mierau
    Udo
  • Thomas Neumann
    Volkspolizist
  • Rolf Pfannenstein
    Ernesto
  • Johanna Schall
    Die Neue
  • Bernd Stegemann
    Detlef
  • Harald Warmbrunn
    Benno Bohne
  • Hans Wiesner
    Popel
  • Uwe Zerbe
    Meister
  • Molly Sisters (DE)
    Simone und Silvia Lange
  • Karin Beewen
    Huberts Frau
  • Irmtraud Anschütz
    Grafikerin
  • Evelyn Fuchs
    Mädchen in der Fabrik
  • Duo Gradini (DD)
    Lawrence und Lu
  • Jacqéline Pöggel
    Mädchen bei Ralph
  • Elke Behrends
    Norberts Bekannte
  • Detlef Gieß
    Leistungssportler
  • Peter Jahoda
    Leistungssportler
  • Eckhard Becker
    Neffe
  • Lothar Warneke
    Zapfer
  • Roland Kuchenbuch
    Essender
  • Rolf Staude
    Mann mit Brille
  • Christine Reinhardt
    Blickende
  • Nova Combo (DD)
  • Lothar Hortig

Production company

  • DEFA-Studio für Spielfilme (Potsdam-Babelsberg) (Künstlerische Arbeitsgruppe "Babelsberg")

Unit production manager

  • Herbert Ehler

Location manager

  • Werner Teichmann
  • Harald Jahn

Original distributor

  • Progress Film-Verleih (Berlin/Ost)

Shoot

    • 1978 - 1979: Berlin/Ost (Prenzlauer Berg u.a.) und Umgebung
Duration:
2845 m, 104 min
Format:
35mm, 1:1,66
Video/Audio:
Orwocolor, Ton
Censorship/Age rating:

FSK-Prüfung (DE): 13.03.1980, 51400, ab 16 Jahre / feiertagsfrei;
FSK-Prüfung (DE): 24.04.1980, 51400 [2. FSK-Prüfung]

Screening:

Uraufführung (DE): 17.01.1980, Berlin, Kino International

Titles

Additional titles
  • Originaltitel (DD) Solo Sunny

Versions

Original

Duration:
2845 m, 104 min
Format:
35mm, 1:1,66
Video/Audio:
Orwocolor, Ton
Censorship/Age rating:

FSK-Prüfung (DE): 13.03.1980, 51400, ab 16 Jahre / feiertagsfrei;
FSK-Prüfung (DE): 24.04.1980, 51400 [2. FSK-Prüfung]

Screening:

Uraufführung (DE): 17.01.1980, Berlin, Kino International

Restaurierte und digitalisierte Fassung

Duration:
105 min
Format:
DCP, 1:1,66
Video/Audio:
Farbe, Ton
Screening:

Uraufführung (DE): 14.02.2025, Berlin, IFF - Berlinale Classics

Prüffassung

Duration:
2854 m, 104 min

Awards

Nationales Spielfilmfestival der DDR 1980
  • Bester Schnitt
  • Bestes Szenenbild
  • Beste Filmmusik
  • Beste Nebendarstellerin (ex aequo >P.S.< und >Sieben Sommersprossen<)
  • Bester Nebendarsteller (ex aequo >Alle meine Mädchen<)
  • Beste Hauptdarstellerin (ex aequo >Alle meine Mädchen<)
  • Beste Regie (ex aequo >P.S.<)
  • Beste Kamera
Chicago IFF 1980
  • Goldene Plakette
Berlin IFF 1980
  • Silbener Bär, Beste Darstellerin
  • Preis der Leserjury der "Berliner Morgenpost"
  • FIPRESCI Preis
Source-URL: https://www.filmportal.de/en/movie/solo-sunny_ea43d4a78de05006e03053d50b37753d