The Promise

1h 55min

Drama

Romance

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.

Production Companies

CNC

Odessa Films

Studio Babelsberg

Canal+

WDR

Neue Bioskop Film

Cast

Meret Becker

Meret Becker

Sophie I
August Zirner

August Zirner

Konrad II
Eva Mattes

Eva Mattes

Barbara II
Hark Bohm

Hark Bohm

Müller II
Otto Sander

Otto Sander

Professor Lorenz
Tina Engel

Tina Engel

Sophies Tante
Dieter Mann

Dieter Mann

Konrad's Vater
Simone von Zglinicki

Simone von Zglinicki

Konrad's Mutter
Susanne Ugé

Susanne Ugé

Barbara I
Hans Kremer

Hans Kremer

Harald II
Ruth Glöss

Ruth Glöss

Konrad's grandmother
Monika Hansen

Monika Hansen

Sophie's Mother
Klaus Piontek

Klaus Piontek

Sophie's Stepfather
Heiko Senst

Heiko Senst

Wolfgang

Release date

16th Feb 1995

Status

Released

Spoken languages

Deutsch, English, Český