Im Westen nichts Neues

original title:
Im Westen nichts Neues
other titles:
All Quiet on the Western Front
country / year of production:
Germany , Great Britain , USA / 2022
original length:
148 min , color
premiere:
Kanada: 12.09.2022, Toronto International Film Festival; Deutschland: 2022, Netflix; USA: 2022, Netflix
genre:
drama
based on:
Remarque, Erich Maria: Im Westen nichts Neues. Berlin: Propyläen Verlag, 1929.
director:
Edward Berger
film script:
Edward Berger , Ian Stokell , Lesley Paterson
producer:
Malte Grunert , Daniel Dreifuss , Daniel Brühl
cinematographer:
James Friend
editor:
Sven Budelmann
composer:
Volker Bertelmann
cast (role):
Felix Kammerer (Paul Bäumer) , Albrecht Schuch (Stanislaus Katczinsky) , Aaron Hilmer (Albert Kropp) , Moritz Klaus (Frantz Müller) , Edin Hasanovic (Tjaden Stackfleet) , Daniel Brühl (Matthias Erzberger) , Felix Kammerer , Albrecht Schuch , Aaron Hilmer , Moritz Klaus , Edin Hasanovic , Daniel Brühl , Andreas Döhler , Michael Stange , Nico Ehrenteit , Adrian Grünewald , Wolf Danny Homann , Charles Morillon , Jakob Schmidt , Peter Sikorski , Hendrik Heutmann , Sascha Nathan , Tobias Langhoff , Alexander Schuster , Daniel-Frantisek Kamen , Sebastian Hülk , Devid Striesow
more:
plot synopsis:
The film begins with a battle scene in the First World War, in which Private Heinrich is killed. After being roughly cleaned and mended, his uniform and boots are returned to the home front in Germany so that another soldier can wear them. The protagonist Paul Bäumer receives the uniform when he is recruited.

Motivated by the patriotic speeches of their teacher, Paul Bäumer and his friends Albert Kropp and Frantz Müller volunteered for military service in the German Empire on the Western Front of the First World War. However, when the young men arrive at the front and are exposed to the horrors of the war, their patriotism and optimism are put to the test.

They make friends with the older soldier “Kat” Katczinsky, who helps them to find their way in the everyday life of soldiers and war. For Paul, he becomes a fatherly friend with whom he goes goose stealing. After numerous battles with heavy losses, in which Paul's friends and comrades are killed one by one, Kat also dies - he is shot by the son of the farmer he stole from, shortly before the end of the war.

At the same time, the negotiations between the Allies and the German negotiator Matthias Erzberger are shown. During the negotiations, the centrist politician is confronted by French Marshal Ferdinand Foch, who is not prepared to compromise. In the end, the armistice treaty is signed and comes into force at 11 a.m. on November 11.

Shortly before 11 a.m., General Friedrich, who does not agree to the surrender, launches a final offensive in which Paul Bäumer also dies.
keywords:
youth during wartime , trench warfare , comradeship , infantry , wound, injury , trench
war:
First World War (1914-1918)
literature:
remarks:
Some German reviews strongly criticized the fact that the film deviated considerably from the original novel. Overall, however, the film received predominantly positive reviews worldwide (80-90 percent), particularly because it did not copy the existing film adaptations but pursued its own concept.

The German Film and Media Rating even awarded the film the rating “particularly valuable”. It emphasized the impressive trench setting established by Edward Berger and his cameraman James Friend. At the sound level, too, a recurring bass-heavy melody creates a creepy, foreboding atmosphere of fear. Among the actors, it was above all the young actors who were convincing as young soldiers, with Felix Kammerer standing out in the role of Paul Bäumer

Below is a selection of nominations and awards.

Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards 2023:
- Nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay (Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson and Ian Stokell)
- Nomination for Best Non-English Language Film

Art Directors Guild Awards 2023:
- Nomination for Best Production Design for a Historical Film (Christian M. Goldbeck)

British Academy Film Awards 2023:
- Award for Best Film (Malte Grunert)
- Award for Best Foreign Language Film (Edward Berger and Malte Grunert)
- Award for Best Director (Edward Berger)
- Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson and Ian Stokell)
- Award for Best Cinematography (James Friend)
- Award for Best Film Music (Volker Bertelmann)
- Award for Best Sound (Lars Ginzel, Frank Kruse, Viktor Prášil and Markus Stemler)
- Nomination for Best Supporting Actor (Albrecht Schuch)
- Nomination for Best Editing (Sven Budelmann)
- Nomination for Best Production Design (Christian M. Goldbeck and Ernestine Hipper)
- Nomination for Best Visual Effects (Markus Frank, Kamil Jafar, Viktor Müller and Frank Petzold)
- Nomination for Best Costume Design (Lisy Christl)
- Nomination for Best Make-up and Hairstyling (Heike Merker)
- Nomination for Best Casting

Camerimage 2022:
- Nomination for the Golden Frog

Critics' Choice Movie Awards 2023:
- Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film

German Film Award 2023:
- Silver Film Award in the category Best Feature Film (Malte Grunert)
- Award for Best Male Lead (Felix Kammerer)
- Award for the Best Male Supporting Role (Albrecht Schuch)
- Award for Best Cinematography/Best Visual Design (James Friend)
- Award for Best Sound Design (Frank Kruse, Markus Stemler, Viktor Prášil, Lars Ginzel and Alexander Buck)
- Award for Best Film Music (Volker Bertelmann)
- Award for Best Production Design (Christian M. Goldbeck)
- Award for Best Make-up Design (Heike Merker)
- Award for Best Visual Effects (Frank Petzold and Viktor Müller)
- Nomination for Best Director (Edward Berger)
- Nomination for Best Editing (Sven Budelmann)
- Nomination for Best Costume Design (Lisy Christl)

Eddie Awards 2023:
- Nomination for Best Editing in a Motion Picture Drama (Sven Budelmann)

European Film Awards 2022:
- Honored with the Excellence Award for Best Make-up & Hair (Heike Merker)
- Awarded the Excellence Award for Best Visual Effects (Frank Petzold, Viktor Müller and Markus Frank)

Golden Globe Awards 2023:
- Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film

Golden Reel Awards 2023:
- Award in the category Outstanding Archievement in Sound Editing - Foreign Language Film

National Board of Review Awards 2022:
- Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson and Ian Stokell)

New Faces Awards 2023:
- Awarded the Special Jury Prize (Felix Kammerer)

Newport Beach Film Festival 2022:
- Award for Best Cinematography

Online Film Critics Society Awards 2023:
- Nomination for Best Non-English Language Film

Academy Awards 2023:
- Award for Best International Film
- Award for Best Cinematography (James Friend)
- Award for Best Film Music (Volker Bertelmann)
- Award for Best Production Design (Christian M. Goldbeck and Ernestine Hipper)
- Nomination for Best Film
- Nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay (Edward Berger and Ian Stokell)
- Nomination for Best Sound
- Nomination for Best Visual Effects (Markus Frank, Kamil Jafar, Viktor Müller and Frank Petzold)
- Nomination for Best Make-up and Best Hairstyles (Heike Merker)

World Soundtrack Awards 2023:
- Nomination for Film Composer of the Year (Volker Bertelmann, also for War Sailor and Memory of Water)
availability:
Netflix
DVD
Blu-Ray