The SED controlled the entire cinema in the GDR, from the production of films to their exploitation in cinemas. Cinema was seen as a cultural-political institution that was supposed to help educate East German viewers to become "socialist personalities". The range of films shown in cinemas was consistently determined by films from the socialist sphere of influence; a quarter of all films came from the Soviet Union alone.

If we ask about the viewers' choices, our view of GDR cinema changes fundamentally. It was not education, training or culture, but pleasure that determined the choice of films at the box office. Although Western imports made up only a small part of the selection, films from West Germany and the United States were the favorites of East German audiences. The cinema of the GDR was thus far more similar to the cinema of West Germany than we often assume.

Joseph Garncarz will present the results of his research and report exciting findings.