Johanna Wokalek Movies

Johanna Wokalek, John Goodman, and David Wenham star in director Sönke Wortmann's adaptation of author Donna Woolfolk Cross' novel about a woman who dared to live like no other woman in history, and found herself at the center of a treacherous political conspiracy. The daughter of a 9th Century European priest, Johanna (Wokalek) defies dogmatic doctrine by learning to read and write. Later, after Johanna's secret gets out, she receives special permission to parochial school in Dorstadt. The only female in the school, she is placed in the care of Gerold (David Wenham), a brave knight with whom she falls deeply in love. But their romance is shattered when the Normans attack, prompting Johanna to assume the persona of a man and take flight to a Fulda monastery. Ordained in the practice of healing, Johanna later becomes the private doctor of Pope Sergius (Goodman) in Rome. Her fate takes an extraordinary turn, however, when Bishop Anastasius poisons Pope Sergius in an attempt to claim his title, and Johanna ascends to the throne instead. Though at first no one suspects that the new pope is in fact a female, Johanna's secret soon threatens to become known after she discovers that she is pregnant with Gerold's child. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director Uli Edel teams with screenwriter Bernd Eichinger to explore a dark period in German history with this drama detailing the rise and fall of the Red Army Faction, a left-wing terrorist organization that became increasingly active following World War II. Also known as the Baader-Meinhof Group, the Red Army Faction was formed by the radicalized children of the Nazi generation with the intended goal of battling Western imperialism and the West German establishment. Adapted from author Stefan Aust's definitive account of the group that resorted to killing innocent civilians in the name of democracy and justice, The Baader Meinhof Complex stars Moritz Bleibtreu as Andreas Baader and Martina Gedeck as Ulrike Meinhof. Bruno Ganz co-stars as Horst Herold, the head of the German police force faced with the task of bringing the Red Army Faction to justice. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

German writer-director Til Schweiger's romantic comedy Barefoot (Barfuss) concerns itself with the plight of Nick Keller (Schweiger) a young man branded as an outcast and a ne'er-do-well by his exorbitantly wealthy family. Unable to hold a permanent job, and harboring deep-seated contempt for anyone in a position of authority, Nick retains the admiration and respect of only his mother, who persistently believes that one day, he will somehow rise above his loser past and accomplish something of merit. Indeed, this appears to be the case when Nick accepts a job at a psychiatric clinic and saves a troubled young woman namedLeila (Johanna Wokalek) from suicide, but she soon turns up at his home late one night, barefoot and clad in a nightgown. This issue-ridden girl battles post-traumatic stress disorder from her mother's untimely death, and harbors a phobia about being touched. Nonetheless, a quirky and unpredictable romance soon blossoms between Nick and Leila, and they set out together on an unforgettable road trip. For the first occasion in his life, Nick soon becomes accountable to someone other than himself. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

The opening film of the 49th International Berlin Film Festival in 1999, Aimée & Jaguar drew attention not only for the lesbian love story that it narrates, but equally for the political position of the lovers -- Aimée, the wife of a Nazi officer, and Jaguar, a Jewish journalist. The story is based on the memoirs of Lilly Wust (the Aimée character), who is 85 and still living in Germany. In 1943, as Allied bombers leave Berlin in ruins, Lilly Wust Juliane Köhler earns a Cross of Motherhood for bringing up four children while husband Günther Detlev Buck is away fighting on the eastern front. She leads a bourgeois existence, with occasional love affairs on the side, and the bust of Hitler is a prominent decoration in their flat. When Lilly receives a love letter signed 'Jaguar,' she suspects a male admirer. But it is the self-confident Felice Schragenheim Maria Schrader who initiates this forbidden romance. A passionate love affair begins amidst the bombing raids and the threat of persecution. Madly in love, Lilly wants to divorce her husband, which causes a terrible storm, not just because her lover is a woman, but because she is Jewish and fighting for the Resistance. But nothing stops the love-blind Lilly. The two women make a pact of love and marriage and try to block out the reality of war and persecution; however, the Gestapo soon catches up with them. Aimée & Jaguar is based on Erica Fischer's best-selling book, published in 1994 and translated into eleven languages; the real life Lilly Wust was 80 years old when she told Erica Fischer her story. Maria Schrader and Juliane Köhler shared the Silver Bear for the Best Actress at the 49th Berlin International Film Festival, for their roles in Aimée & Jaguar, while the film received the Teddy Award, given to films dealing with gay and lesbian issues. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, Rovi