The Rapoports
Our three Lives
As Jews they escaped the Nazis, as scientists they became famous in America, as communists they were forced to flee from McCarthy – eventually Inge and Mitja Rapoport found their third home in East Germany. Samuel Mitja Rapoport is renowned as one of the most brilliant biochemists of our time; his wife Inge Rapoport was considered the founder of Neonatology in the GDR. Despite their warm and caring appearance, the Rapoports also have a somewhat pugnacious side and their views are at times contentious, to say the least. The Rapoports – Our Three Lives is a film about an extraordinary couple who have travelled backwards and forwards between two extreme political systems of the 20th century and who, in their 90 odd years, are still very much in love.
PRESS
"Britta Wauer's and Sissi Hüetlin's film about the harmony between two politically contradictory lives makes the viewers reflect upon their own preconceptions about history and politics. With a caring and cautious approach, this film lets you feel the ecstatic abundance of life and its circumstances - the feelings and the atmosphere, the coincidences and opportunities, be they taken or missed. This documentary brilliantly interweaves the historic material with the presence and juxtaposes the self-perception of the Rapoports with the memories of their children and contemporary witnesses. Discreetly and sensitively, the film unleashes the charme of its protagonists. It does not just reproduce what is visible - it makes it visible." GRIMME PRIZE, JURY'S STATEMENT
"An adventurous, ludicrous life story." DER SPIEGEL
AWARDS
| 2005 | Grimme Prize |
| 2005 | Nomination BANFF Rockie Award |
| 2005 | Gold Remi Award Worldfest Houston |
| 2004 | Special Mention World Jewish Film Festival, Tel Aviv |
| 2004 | Best Documentary Award Binational Filmfestival Durban, South Africa |
DVD
This film was made for French-German television without an official DVD release. If you are interested in watching "The Rapoports", send us an email and ask for a screener - we have an English voice-over version of the film.
CREDITS
Documentary, Germany 2003,
60 minutes
Writers and Directors: Sissi Hüetlin, Britta Wauer
DOP: Lorenz Haarmann
Editor: Berthold Baule
Creative Producer: Claudia Bissinger
TV Editor: Selina Riefenstahl
Producer: Tanja Ziegler, Ziegler Film
Broadcaster: ARTE/ZDF