Fridae

This multiple award-winning German film, which just won the Oscar for Best Foreign Picture, is an engrossing and intricate drama about transformative power of art in the authoritarian world of East Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Ulrich Muehe gives a powerfully nuanced performance as a member of the secret police who is tasked to carry out surveillance on a playwright (Sebastian Koch) and his actress-girlfriend (Martina Gedeck), who are suspected of being dissidents. Wiretapping into their conversations and learning about their lives, Ulrich becomes privy to their intimate hopes and emotions. He eventually makes a decision that would change all their lives...

First-time helmer Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, who previously made shorts and worked as Richard Attenborough's intern, is astoundingly assured and controlled in his direction. All the actors give pitch-perfect performances, particularly Ulrich in the lead and Martina Gedeck as the actress-girlfriend.

Engaging, inspiring and thrilling all at once, this is a must-see for lovers of serious films.