Sophie Scholl - Die letzten Tage
Sophie Scholl – The Final Days
Spring 1943. The Germans have lost the battle for Stalingrad and, in Munich, members of the White Rose infiltrate the city with a wave upon wave of anti-Hitler activities and slogans. Sophie and Hans Scholl are busy distributing flyers in the main hall of Munich University when they are observed and arrested.
From this point on, the film adopts Sophie’s perspective to tell the story of the interrogations that followed their arrest, as well as the brother and sister’s trial and pronouncement of their sentence.
At first, Sophie feigns innocence, fighting tooth and nail to secure her and her brother’s release. However, sensing that the death penalty awaits them, she then does her best to protect her brother and the other resistance fighters. Gestapo man Mohr begins to admire Sophie and indicates that he will help her if she admits to being a fellow-traveller. But Sophie refuses to give up her conviction, instead confronting Mohr with his own unthinking perception of what is right and just.
Roland Freisler, chief of the Nazis’ "People’s Court", is sent from Berlin to Munich to conduct a show trial against the students – in spite of the fact that the death penalty has already been decided from the outset. At a hearing that makes a mockery of all the rules of jurisprudence, Sophie and her brother are sentenced to the death penalty. During the trial, Sophie battles so brilliantly against Freisler (who is positively snorting with rage) that her steadfast behaviour even wins her the approval of the male Nazi spectators at court.
As soon as the trial is over, the brother and sister are taken away to Stadelheim to be executed. They are allowed to say goodbye to their parents before sharing their final cigarette. History has of course shown that Sophie Scholl was right in her last, defiant prediction to Freisler: "You’re hanging us today but, tomorrow, it’ll be your heads that will roll!"
Source: 55. Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin (Catalogue)
Credits
Director
Screenplay
Director of photography
Editing
Cast
- Sophie Scholl
- Hans Scholl
- Robert Mohr
- Christoph Probst
- Alexander Schmorell
- Else Gebel
- Werner Scholl
- Robert Scholl
- Magdalena Scholl
- Gisela Schertling
Production company
Alle Credits
Director
Assistant director
Script supervisor
Screenplay
Director of photography
Assistant camera
2nd Camera unit
Steadycam operator
Titles / Opticals
Lighting design
Production design
Set design
Property master
Stand-by props
Make-up artist
Costume design
Editing
Assistant editor
Sound design
Sound
Music recording
Audio mixing
Consultant
Special effects
Casting
Arrangement
Cast
- Sophie Scholl
- Hans Scholl
- Robert Mohr
- Christoph Probst
- Alexander Schmorell
- Else Gebel
- Werner Scholl
- Robert Scholl
- Magdalena Scholl
- Gisela Schertling
- Willi Graf
- Dr. Roland Freisler
- Jakob Schmid
- Hefner
- Locher
- Protokollführer
- Weyersberg
- August Klein
- Ferdinand Seidl
- Wärterin
- Zellenwärter
Production company
in co-production with
Producer
Producer (TV)
Line producer
Unit production manager
Location manager
Post-production
Original distributor
Shoot
- 12.06.2004 - 20.07.2004: München
FSK-Prüfung (DE): 09.12.2004, 100000, ab 12 Jahre / feiertagsfrei
Uraufführung: 13.02.2005, Berlin, IFF - Wettbewerb;
Kinostart (DE): 24.02.2005;
TV-Erstsendung: 14.06.2007, Arte
Titles
- Originaltitel (DE) Sophie Scholl - Die letzten Tage
- Weiterer Titel (eng) Sophie Scholl – The Final Days
Versions
Original
FSK-Prüfung (DE): 09.12.2004, 100000, ab 12 Jahre / feiertagsfrei
Uraufführung: 13.02.2005, Berlin, IFF - Wettbewerb;
Kinostart (DE): 24.02.2005;
TV-Erstsendung: 14.06.2007, Arte
Digitalisierte Fassung
Awards
- Preis der deutschen Filmkritik, Beste Darstellerin
- Nominierung, Bester fremdsprachiger Film
- Produzentenpreis, Bester Film des Jahres 2005
- Beste Darstellerin
- Jameson People’s Choice Award, Beste Darstellerin
- Jameson People’s Choice Award, Beste Regie
- Lola, Beste Hauptdarstellerin
- Lola in Gold, Bester Spielfilm
- Preis der ökumenischen Jury
- Silberner Bär, Beste Regie
- Silberner Bär, Beste Darstellerin