Loosely based on the life of famed artist Gerhard Richter, this sweeping story of artistic discovery spans more than three decades of German history, and lives lived under Nazism, communism and capitalism. It begins in 1937 where a 6 year old Kurt Barnert and his Aunt Elisabeth (Saskia Rosendahl) are on a tour of the "degenerate art" exhibition, put on with the Nazis to deride anything which conflicted with their strictly realist ideas on what constitutes "art". Out of hearing of the tour guide Elisabeth tells the child how much she likes the Kandinsky they've been told to despise, effectively giving the boy permission to make his own choices in what he values.
A memorable scene in which Kurt's aunt utters the three words of the title adding "everything that is true holds beauty in it", a maxim which will resonate into Kurt's adult life. Later she is taken away to a mental institution, to be sterilised ("purifying the race") and her eventual death. In these years she comes into contact with a man who will also play a major role in Kurt's life.
The war years introduce us to Professor Karl Seeband (Sebastian Koch), a leading gynecologist who's a fan of eugenics, and in a senior position in the SS. He turns up again post-war, still a respected member of the regime, but this time it's the communist DDR. Where we meet the adult Kurt (Tom Schilling), a student at art school, full of talent but unsure in what direction his art will find it's full expression. He falls in love with Ellie (Paula Beer), who is the daughter of the professor, and their lives become intertwined. Kurt will go on to be recognised for his huge murals in the socialist realism style, before escaping to the west shortly before the Berlin Wall closes that chance to escape. In Dusseldorf he goes on to discover the techniques that will make him famous.
There are certainly flaws to the film. Schilling lacks conviction as a driven artistic genius, there are too many cliched moments, and the film never really gets to grips with the relationship between art and politics. But as an entertainment it belies it's 3 and a bit hours running time, never feeling overlong or overblown. There's some stunning cinematography, an excellent score and several compelling performances. Not least from Koch who dominates the screen in every appearance as the amoral opportunist with a dodgy past who always manages to land on his feet (a bit like certain UK politicians in the news at the moment...). And there's an interesting comparison of life under extreme right and left wing dictatorships.
Recommended.
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