The Promise (Das Versprechen) 29 years old

A love, a hope, a wall.

East-Berlin, 1961, shortly after the erection of the Wall. Konrad, Sophie and three of their friends plan a daring escape to Western Germany. The attempt is successful, except for Konrad, who remains behind. From then on, and for the next 28 years, Konrad and Sophie will attempt to meet again, in spite of the Iron Curtain. Konrad, who has become a reputed Astrophysicist, tries to take advantage of scientific congresses outside Eastern Germany to arrange encounters with Sophie. But in a country where the political police, the Stasi, monitors the moves of all suspicious people (such as Konrad's sister Barbara and her husband Harald), preserving one's privacy, ideals and self-respect becomes an exhausting fight, even as the Eastern block begins its long process of disintegration.

Credits

The Promise Cast

Name Character
August Zirner He was 39, now 68 years old as Konrad II
Ruth Glöss She was 66, 86 years old when she died
Ulrike Krumbiegel She was 33, now 62 years old as Elisabeth
Otto Sander He was 53, 72 years old when he died as Professor Lorenz
Christina Große She was 24, now 53 years old
Philippe Morier-Genoud He was 50, now 80 years old
Corinna Harfouch She was 40, now 69 years old as Sophie II
Eva Mattes She was 40, now 69 years old as Barbara II
Anian Zollner He was 25, now 55 years old as Konrad I
Meret Becker She was 26, now 55 years old as Sophie I
Klaus Piontek He was 59, 63 years old when he died
Tina Engel She was 44, now 73 years old as Sophies Tante
Jean-Yves Gautier He was 52, now 81 years old as Gérard
Hans Kremer He was 40, now 70 years old as Harald II
Dieter Mann He was 53, now 82 years old as Konrad's Vater
Pierre Besson He was 27, now 56 years old as Harald I
Sven Lehmann He was 3, 21 years old when he died
Monika Hansen She was 52, now 81 years old
Udo Kroschwald He was 40, now 69 years old
Simone von Zglinicki She was 43, now 72 years old as Konrad's Mutter
Hark Bohm He was 55, now 84 years old as Müller II
Wolfgang Winkler He was 54, 79 years old when he died as Stasi

The Promise Crew

Name Department
Suzanne Baron as Editor. She was 67 (68) years old when She died Editing
Eberhard Junkersdorf as Producer. He was 56 (now 85) years old Production
Franz Rath as Cinematography. He was 62 (now 91) years old Crew
Margarethe von Trotta as Director. She was 52 (now 82) years old Directing
Margarethe von Trotta as Writer. She was 52 (now 82) years old Writing
Jörg Widmer as Cinematography. He was 4 (now 24) years old Crew
Peter Schneider as Writer. He was 54 (now 83) years old Writing
Felice Laudadio as Writer. He was 50 (now 79) years old Writing
The Promise poster
The Promise (29 years)

A love, a hope, a wall.

  • Release day: Thursday, February 16, 1995
  • Runtime: 115 minutes