Bath Film Festival 2008

The Wave (Die Welle)

Based on a standard German school text novel (in turn inspired by teaching experiments conducted in Palo Alto in 1975), The Wave examines a terrifying thesis: Fascism lies dormant in us all and can be summoned with ease. Disturbed by the indifference his charges show when discussing the re-emergence of Nazism, their teacher decides to instruct by roleplay and establish a mini dictatorship in the classroom. The class find the uniform, the ‘strength through discipline' mantra and the permission to bully very appealing. Naturally there are detractors, but inevitably the doctrine begins to spread beyond the confines of the classroom. Gansel directs with unflagging energy in a film which will have you debating its issues in the pub later. CB

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