When can the exhibition be visited?

The exhibition can be seen from July 24, 2026, to May 2, 2027. The Film Museum Potsdam is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.

What is the admission price?

The regular admission price is 10 Euros. A discounted price is available for 6 Euros.

Which films and themes are the focus?

The exhibition is dedicated to selected DEFA feature films and their themes. This includes everyday life, love, freedom, wanderlust, rebellion, personal desires, and societal expectations in the GDR.

Are there accompanying offers?

The exhibition is accompanied by a podcast and a film and event series.

Where is the Film Museum Potsdam located?

The Film Museum Potsdam is located at Breiten Straße 1 a in the Marstall, 14467 Potsdam.

How long does the exhibition visit take?

A mandatory visit duration is not specified. It is recommended to allow sufficient time for the consideration of the thematic rooms, film excerpts, and interactive stations.

80 Years of DEFA Films: Discover Moving Film History at the Film Museum Potsdam

Name: WITHOUT BREAKFAST. WITHOUT DISCUSSION. 80 Years of DEFA Films
Start: 2026-10-22T10:00:00+02:00
End: 2027-05-02T18:00:00+02:00
Location: Filmmuseum Potsdam

Experience 80 Years of DEFA Film History at the Film Museum Potsdam

The special exhibition WITHOUT BREAKFAST. WITHOUT DISCUSSION. 80 Years of DEFA Films invites visitors at the Film Museum Potsdam to a multifaceted look at East German film history. The focus is on feature films produced between 1946 and 1992 that make visible everyday life, longings, conflicts, and societal changes in the GDR.

Film History as Sensory Exhibition Atmosphere

Original costumes, film props, posters, set designs, and film excerpts come together to create an atmospheric installation. Interactive stations and thematic rooms provide immediate access to DEFA: the curation is not determined by a strictly chronological presentation, but rather by questions of love, freedom, wanderlust, rebellion, personal desires, and societal expectations.

Between Everyday Life, Utopia, and Censorship

The exhibition views DEFA as an artistic and cultural historical tension field. More than 700 films were produced until the studio's dissolution in 1992. Selected productions such as Solo Sunny, The Murderers Are Among Us, Paul and Paula, Karla, and The Architects showcase how direction, screenwriting, acting, set design, and film music interpreted societal reality.

The examination of works leads from popular films to productions that were banned, withheld, or rediscovered later. Costumes from well-known films, including pieces from Solo Sunny, as well as designs for sets and props make cinematic design experienceable as a material form of art.

Curatorial Perspectives on the DEFA Legacy

Curator Guido Altendorf focuses on the living environments behind the political buzzwords. The exhibition asks how people in the GDR lived, loved, dreamed, and dealt with societal boundaries. In this way, cultural education is created, conveying film history not as a closed chapter but as a living dialogue with the present.

Potsdam as a Film City

The Film Museum Potsdam anchors the exhibition in the film history of Babelsberg and the city of Potsdam. The show was created in collaboration with the DEFA Foundation and the Friends of the Film Museum Potsdam. A podcast deepens the background of DEFA films; a film and event series extends the art experience beyond the exhibition spaces.

Conclusion: A Moving Art Experience for Film and Culture Enthusiasts

Visitors can expect an aesthetic experience between film archive, installation, and cultural historical narration. The exhibition makes visible how closely cinematic images are connected to everyday life, memory, and societal self-understanding. Those who wish to rediscover DEFA classics or get to know the film history of the GDR from a differentiated perspective should definitely experience this exhibition live at the Film Museum Potsdam.