Jami Patton
Essay Assignment #2
Dr. Elaine Martin

Jutta Brückner and Helma Sanders-Brahms belong to the Association of Women Film Workers, which was established in 1979 in reaction to the "Film Festival of the Filmmakers" in Hamburg. This association of female directors can be characterized as seeking personal conviction, possessing drive to have their films made, and confronting social concerns and women's issues through a realist view. Brückner and Sanders-Brahms portray these issues cinematically by presenting history from a female perspective; therefore, giving the silenced woman. a voice. They present issues dealing with feminism, identity, and personal experience. As directors, they utilize autobiographical experiences to create a "public space"; thus, contrasting their personal accounts to history's repressive, male-dominating generalizations.

Helma Sanders-Brahms "Germany, Pale Mother" explores the relationship between mothers-daughters by employing an historical address. The film opens with a recitation of Brecht's poem "Germany, Pale Mother;" thereby, introducing the title of the film to the audience. The significance of the poem is that it recognizes the Third Reich's disastrous effect on national tradition and identity. With the addition of the female voiceover, one is able to ascertain the role women played in this dark period of German history. Sanders-Brahms reveals the perspective of the woman, which was overshadowed by the patriarchal society of Nazism. The poem stands as homage to the innocent worship of the mother. It acts as an address of the daughter to her mother revealing a deeper understanding of the mother-daughter bond as it took shape in World War 11 and the Third Reich. In doing this, Sanders-Brahms undermines the patriarchal society and allows one a firsthand account into the plight of the female in a war tom society. The historical address also serves as an interrogatory device. It is an address from Sanders-Brahms postwar generation to their elders who allowed this period of history to occur.

The title of the film is appropriate because of the images it evokes. Germany is referred to as a pale mother. At this time in history, Germany was known throughout the world as the "Vaterland. " The female role in Nazism was one of subservience to the dominating male. The woman serves as a machine to produce sons for her fatherland. The "mother" in Germany was a server of the state, fulfilling its needs rather than her own. Secondly, it describes the mother as pale. This symbolizes the Third Reich's impact on Germany/Lene. The painful birth sequence parallels the devastating destruction to the country at the hands of the Allied air raids. The paling results are further exemplified in her facial paralysis. This paralysis signifies the postwar period when Germany was divided into West/East Germany. The silencing of Lene through the pulling of her teeth represents man's impotence as a result of bitter defeat in war.

Jutta Brückner's film "A Thoroughly, Demoralized Girl" is an autobiographical account of one of Brückner's friends, Rita Rischack. The director uses three mediums to present this woman to the audience. Rita speaks to us, interacts with others, and reveals her subconscious thoughts through a lowered voice. This film deals with the expectations of society and the way in which women are subsequently measured by it. The title is suitable for the film if one defines "demoralized" as neglected or uncared for, Rita is immature and should be referred to as a girl rather than a woman. She is irresponsible in every aspect of her life. She remarks, "I always seem to find someone to take responsibility for me." This statement alone supports the title of the film; however, one must probe deeper to truly understand Miss Rischack.

Rita.Rischack is disenfranchised from society and possesses a duality of the will. One moment she wants to be taken care of and the next she is pushing her latest lover away. She feels she needs a man to take care of her because it has been instilled in her from social norms. This idea is repugnant and Brückner succeeds in getting this point across. Her objective is to make one feel "Irritated, disturbed, upset." One observes Rita's habitual patterns with men and self-analyzation. She states, "You have no idea how I'm longing to be repressed." This statement alone is irritating to any woman, who considers herself independent. Rita suffers from inarticulation. She says that the words get caught between her stomach and throat. Her problem is she lacks confidence in herself to fulfill her needs. Rita thinks she must depend on the opposite sex to fulfill. her, when in actuality she needs only to discover herself The film raises questions of a woman's place in society. What does one truly need to achieve happiness? Can happiness be achieved through materialistic means and so forth are the questions Miss Rischack poses to the audience. She is a demoralized girl in the sense that she is starving for attention and longs to be caressed. The most intimate experience she encounters is with her intellectual friend. This reveals that one does not need male dominance in order to attain fulfillment. Brückner shows the way you perceive yourself is different from the way others perceive you. Rita doesn't like herself-, she's seeking an identity. One is able to relate to Rita's inability to communicate her thoughts and her fear to create meaningful bonds.

Brückner's objective in "A Thoroughly, Demoralized Girl" is to "show that we have to seek out the sources of our mistakes, not only in the social system, but also in what really lies in us." She addresses female reality and the relationship between the individual and society. In her film, Brückner tries to give insight into a female's role in a male dominated society.