When can the exhibition be visited?

The exhibition is open on October 20, 2026, from 10 AM to 6 PM. The Filmmuseum is closed on Mondays and open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 AM to 6 PM.

How much does admission cost?

The regular admission is 10 Euros. A reduced ticket costs 6 Euros.

Where is the exhibition taking place?

The exhibition takes place at the Filmmuseum Potsdam in the Marstall at Breiten Straße 1a, 14467 Potsdam.

What contents are displayed in the exhibition?

Selected DEFA films as well as original props, posters, and costumes are shown. The focus is on film classics, everyday life in the GDR, societal themes, and the history of DEFA.

Are there guided tours or educational offers?

Museum educational and subject-specific mediation offers are available for the exhibition. Information about specific guided tours should be inquired directly with the Filmmuseum Potsdam.

Is the Filmmuseum accessible for people with disabilities?

The Filmmuseum provides its own information on accessibility. For specific questions regarding accessibility, direct contact with the museum is recommended.

80 Years of DEFA Films: Discover GDR Cinema Between Everyday Life, Memory, and Utopia

Name: WITHOUT BREAKFAST. WITHOUT DISCUSSION. 80 Years of DEFA Films
Start: 2026-10-20T10:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-10-20T18:00:00+02:00
Location: Filmmuseum Potsdam

80 Years of DEFA Films: Film History as a Living Memory

The Filmmuseum Potsdam dedicates an exhibition to the 80th anniversary of DEFA, which connects film history, everyday life in the GDR, and societal memory. Under the title WITHOUT BREAKFAST. WITHOUT DISCUSSION., a multi-layered view of the works of the Deutsche Film-Aktiengesellschaft opens – from well-known classics to less familiar productions.

Between Everyday Life, Utopia, and Censorship

More than 700 films were produced between 1946 and 1992. The exhibition questions how closely DEFA films were connected to people's everyday lives, what dreams and hopes they made visible, and how strongly their imagery was shaped by the political and social realities of the GDR.

The exhibition title refers to a well-known phrase from the cult film Solo Sunny. This links the curation to a film quote and a diagnosis of the times: Cinema appears as a space of memory where private life plans, societal conflicts, and historical ruptures converge.

Film Classics and Visual Remembrance Pieces

Select films such as The Murderers Are Among Us, Naked Among Wolves, Trail of Stones, and Paul and Paula mark different eras and aesthetic attitudes of DEFA. The film presentation is complemented by original props, posters, and costumes that open a view behind the screen.

In the analysis of the works, visual language, acting, set design, and editing emerge as testimonies of a distinct film culture. The exhibition makes it tangible how cinema not only reflects societal reality but also interprets, shapes, and embeds it in collective memory.

An Artistic Experience for Film Lovers and History Enthusiasts

The exhibition atmosphere of the Filmmuseum connects historical materials with the sensory impact of moving images. Posters, costumes, and props bring viewers close to the material side of film production, while the films themselves remain present as aesthetic and political documents of a bygone era.

This creates cultural education through immediate observation: Visitors encounter DEFA as an art form of popular storytelling, as an institution of GDR film history, and as an archive of human experiences. The exhibition invites viewers to see familiar film classics anew and rediscover forgotten perspectives.

Conclusion: Experience DEFA Film History Live in Potsdam

WITHOUT BREAKFAST. WITHOUT DISCUSSION. offers more than a historical overview. The exhibition combines film art, memory culture, and societal analysis into a concentrated artistic experience at the Filmmuseum Potsdam. Those who wish to not only observe DEFA from a distance but to experience its images, materials, and themes directly will find here an impressive access point to German film history.