Moving History Spezial - LENZ. ICH ABER WERDE DUNKEL SEIN

LENZ. BUT I WILL BE IN THE DARK 

Germany 1992, Director: Egon Günther, Feature Film, 90 min.

Based on Georg Büchner’s famous novella fragment, this dramatic film tells the harrowing story of the poet Jakob Michael Reinhold Lenz, who walks a fine line between genius and emotional madness. At the heart of the story lies an irreconcilable contrast: on one side, the established and successful poet Goethe; on the other, the radical free spirit and outsider Lenz. Instead of a stiff historical biography, director Egon Günther portrays the “Sturm und Drang” era for what it was: a passionate rebel movement of young thinkers fighting against the old order. The struggle for freedom, philosophy, and new ideas becomes tangibly present. Supported by atmospheric imagery that powerfully reflects the main character’s isolation, the film succeeds in offering a psychologically rich interpretation of a seminal work in German literary history. Jörg Schüttauf, a Grimme Award winner and patron of the 2026 CLIO Prize, shines in the lead role. He embodies the character’s inner turmoil and existential abysses with an intensity that gets right under your skin.