Barbara (2012)

Film

Meta takes1

Figures

Locations

Form & technique

The narrative tension between Barbara's escape plan (political plot) and her developing feelings for André (romantic plot).
The isolated and intense flashes of the color red (Barbara's sweater, Stella's nail polish).
The film's overall historical setting and aesthetic, which avoids overt signs of "GDR-ness".

Tropes

Barbara's guarded gaze and the constant surveillance by Stasi officer Schütz.
Nina Hoss's highly controlled, minimalist performance as Barbara.
The focus on hands touching objects, particularly contraband Western goods like cigarettes and stockings. → Haptic Visuality
The use of the Chic song "At Last I Am Free" on a record player.
The clinical yet intimate medical examinations of patients' bodies.
André's explanation of Rembrandt's "The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp".