Film Details

One of the major movies by Germany’s prolific auteur Rainer Werner Fassbinder (1945-1982) was never distributed in America—until now. Made for German TV, Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day is a five-episode, eight-hour miniseries (total 472 min.), released between Fassbinder’s The Merchant of Four Seasons and Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, that stars some of the key members of the director’s stock company: Hanna Schygulla, Gottfried John, Irm Hermann, and Kurt Raab. Set in Cologne, it’s a sprawling, sympathetic—even warm—portrait of a German factory worker, his girlfriend (later wife), and extended family and friends. Sumptuously shot in color, this proletarian saga proved hugely successful when broadcast. It’s a major rediscovery and will be shown in three parts, each requiring a separate admission. “Ranks with the director’s finest work.” –Sight & Sound. “A thrilling new peak in Fassbinder’s towering career…Brilliantly layered…Functions as both trenchant social critique and populist entertainment.” –Film Comment. Cleveland premiere. Subtitles. DCP. Part Two 181 min.