Stielke, Heinz, Fifteen

Fifteen-year-old Heinz Stielke is a Hitler Youth fanatic who is devastated to learn a hidden truth about his respected father who was a German officer in WWII: He was Jewish. Pushed out of his community after the discovery, young Heinz falls into a tailspin of alienation and anger. He is subsequently thrust into a series of social collisions across the war-torn German fatherland. The stark crisp depiction of this disillusioned youngster’s descent into a vortex of self-hatred is visually expertly crafted by Günter Haubold’s fly-on-the-wall cinematography and the heart wrenching performance from young Marc Lubosch as the titular teen is one of the most finely articulated expressions of teenage rage and despair. The film examines the frightening reality of fascism and a young boy’s overwhelmingly tumultuous exploration of personal identity through WWII. Previously overlooked until recently Altered Innocence is proud to present a new HD restoration of the DEFA Foundation, Germany.