International Cinema
Drama thriller
The Lives of Others (2006): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
The Lives of Others is a 2006 drama thriller directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, starring Martina Gedeck, Sebastian Koch and Ulrich Mühe. It runs 2 hours 17 minutes and earned $77.7 million worldwide on a $2 million budget. It won 1 Oscar, including Foreign Language Film, and 3 awards in all. Critics gave it 89 on Metacritic.
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- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 17m (137 min)
- Director
- Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
- Original language
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German - Studio
- Sony Pictures Classics
- Budget
- $2M
- After the credits
- Yes Extra scene during or after the credits
The story
What Is The Lives of Others About?
The premise of The Lives of Others without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
During the Cold War in Berlin, a Stasi captain is assigned to spy on a playwright and his partner, believing them to be dissidents. Through intensive surveillance, he becomes increasingly familiar with their lives and artistic work. As years pass, the captain's initial certainty begins to erode, challenging his beliefs and forcing him to confront the moral compromises inherent in a repressive regime facing political upheaval.
The Lives of Others Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- stasi
- 1980s
- spy
- berlin wall
- secret police
- political thriller
- east german car
- political activist
- murder
- rape
- sexual abuse
- peeping tom
+38 more Show fewer
- sexuality
- writer
- suicide by hanging
- innocence
- blackmail
- prostitute
- germany
- female nudity
- raped in a car
- male nudity
- surveillance
- suicide of colleague
- suicide of lover
- surveillance-state
- electronic surveillance
- politics
- voyeur
- female star appears nude
- sexual intercourse
- inspired by a true story
- november 9 1989
- reference to erich honecker
- corrupt politician
- police officer
- east berlin
- central europe
- europe
- stand alone movie without sequel
- secret
- agent
- spy thriller
- neighbor neighbor relationship
- sex
- stage actress
- birthday party
- secret agent
- suicide of girlfriend
- extortionist
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Cast & crew
The Lives of Others Cast
Martina Gedeck leads the cast, with Sebastian Koch and Ulrich Mühe. Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck.
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Director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
From the director
More from Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
More films directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, best-rated first: Never Look Away, The Tourist and Der Templer.
Ratings
The Lives of Others Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Lives of Others 89 on Metacritic.
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Metacritic 89 Metascore
User score 8.5
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 80% User score
See on TMDB
Plot
The Lives of Others Plot Summary
What happens in The Lives of Others from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In 1984 East Germany, the life of Stasi Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler (code name HGW XX/7) takes a dark turn when he is assigned by his mentor, Lt. Col. Anton Grubitz, to surveil Georg Dreyman, a playwright whose international acclaim and apparent loyalty to the regime have kept him off the Stasi’s radar. Wiesler is intrigued by Dreyman, who embodies the regime’s ideals with his unblemished reputation and lack of dissent. However, the real motive behind the surveillance, as requested by Minister of Culture Bruno Hempf, is not political but rather personal, driven by Hempf’s attraction to Dreyman’s girlfriend, the actress Christa-Maria Sieland.
Full summary
The whole story of The Lives of Others, scene by scene
Box office
The Lives of Others Box Office & Budget
The Lives of Others grossed $77.7 million worldwide on a $2 million budget, 39 times what it cost. $11.3 million came from the US and Canada and $66.4 million (85%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$77.7M
39× its budget
- US & Canada
- $11.3M
- International
- $66.4M
- Budget
- $2M
US & Canada 15%
Rest of the world 85%
Awards
The Lives of Others Awards & Nominations
The Lives of Others won 1 Oscar, including Foreign Language Film, and 3 awards in all. Its biggest night was the BAFTA 2008, with 1 win from 5 nominations.
3 wins9 nominations5 ceremonies
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BAFTA 2008 1 win · 5 nominations- Won Best Film Not in the English Language
- Nominated Best Actor in a Leading Role – Ulrich Mühe
- Nominated Best Direction – Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
- Nominated Best Film
- Nominated Best Original Screenplay – Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
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IFTA Awards 2008 1 nomination- Nominated International Actor
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Spirit Awards 2007 1 win · 1 nomination- Won Best International Film
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Oscars 2007 1 win · 1 nomination- Won Foreign Language Film
Show all 5 ceremonies Show fewer ceremonies
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Golden Globes 2007 1 nomination- Nominated Best Foreign Language Film
Videos
The Lives of Others Trailers & Videos
The trailer of The Lives of Others.
Quiz
How Well Do You Know The Lives of Others?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the code name of Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler?
Cars
Cars in The Lives of Others
38 cars on screen, including the 1987 BMW 318i E30 and the 2000 Land-Rover Range Rover Series II.
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1987 BMW 318i E30 Important role -
2000 Land-Rover Range Rover Series II Important role -
1993 Mercedes-Benz 220 E W124 Important role -
1995 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter T1N Minor role
Details
The Lives of Others Also Known As
35 alternative titles, including “竊聽風暴” and “Zivoty tech druhých”.
- Also known as
-
- 竊聽風暴
- Zivoty tech druhých
- Teiste elu
- Das Leben der Anderen - Die Sonate vom guten Menschen
- 타인의 삶
- De andras liv
- La vida de los otros
- La vie des autres
- A mások élete
- Başkalarının Hayatı
- 窃听风暴
- Le vite degli altri
+23 more Show fewer
- Жизнь других
- As Vidas dos Outros
- Życie na podsłuchu
- Životy těch druhých
- Живот других
- De andres liv
- חיים של אחרים
- Οι Ζωές των Άλλων
- Животът на другите
- Viețile altora
- Життя інших
- A Vida dos Outros
- Življenje drugih
- Muiden elämä
- 善き人のためのソナタ
- Životy tých druhých
- حياة الأخرين
- Khoảnh Khắc Cuộc Đời
- Život drugih
- 竊聽者
- La vida dels altres, სხვების ცხოვრება
- Kitų gyvenimai
- วิกฤติรักแดนเบอร์ลิน
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From the blog
Articles About The Lives of Others
3 articles about The Lives of Others. The latest: “The Power of International Co-Productions in Cinema”.
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FAQ
The Lives of Others FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Lives of Others, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Lives of Others?
The Lives of Others runs 2 hours 17 minutes (137 minutes).
When was The Lives of Others released?
The Lives of Others was released on December 1, 2006.
Who directed The Lives of Others?
The Lives of Others was directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck.
More films by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck Who is in the cast of The Lives of Others?
The Lives of Others stars Martina Gedeck, Sebastian Koch and Ulrich Mühe.
How much did The Lives of Others make at the box office?
The Lives of Others grossed $77.7 million worldwide ($11.3 million domestic, $66.4 million international) on a budget of $2 million.
How is The Lives of Others rated?
The Lives of Others has 89 on Metacritic and 80% on TMDB.
What awards did The Lives of Others win?
The Lives of Others won 3 awards from 9 nominations, including Best Film Not in the English Language at the BAFTA 2008.
Does The Lives of Others have a post-credit scene?
Yes. The Lives of Others has an extra scene during or after the credits, so it is worth staying seated.
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