Film - The Burning Wall November 9, 2003

Do you worry the USA Patriot Act may be used for more than fighting terrorism? This gripping, new documentary about the history of Communist East Germany's Stasi might provide a cautionary tale. The tight narrative digs into territory never before explored on film, using extensive research to focus on the secret police that (between 1949 and 1989) kept tabs on the populace with a force of 100,000 agents. Beller takes us into a world of heroism and brutality, finding those who were part of the system and those who resisted. (Directed by Hava Kohav Beller; USA/Germany; 2003; 116 min)