Summer, 1954. The Soviet Union is sending its prisoners of war home. Among them is the father of quiet, football-loving, 11-year-old Matthias, who lives with his mother, sister and brother in a West-German mining town.

The boy has long found a surrogate father in the local football player Helmut Rahn, who has 'adopted' Matthias as his mascot. The return of the boy's father Richard casts a shadow over the once-happy family: broken by his years in captivity, Richard has trouble adapting to life in postwar Germany and alienates his family through his severity.

For Richard, football is pointless, and so is the World Cup that's about to be held in Bern, Switzerland. Through his passion for the game and his fighting spirit, Matthias rekindles a love of life in his dad's heart. And so, as the final match of the World Cup begins, a little miracle of love and generosity leaps across borders to help another miracle occur - the victory of Helmut Rahn and the German team, the miracle of Bern.

Director and ex-football player Sönke Wortmann brilliantly succeeds in setting an intensely emotional and touching family drama against the exhilarating, authentic background of West Germany's miraculous World Cup victory in 1954.

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

as that site pertains to a london film festival - if they take it down, go to google :

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

**

check out rest of the german movie site too while it's extant :

for example - ghetto kids :

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

I'd like to get The Miracle of Bern, and have looked for it before.  I'd never heard of that other one, though.  Thanks once again, aaaa!  :biggrin:

Love,
Sir J

DVD R2 release for The Miracle of Bern is scheduled for 6 May 2004 and can be pre-ordered through (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

This Special Limited Edition 2-DVD Features (sorry about the German language):

• Disk 1: Audio-Kommentar von Regisseur Sönke Wortmann; 3 Kinotrailer; Statements der Schauspieler; Behind The Scenes
• Disk 2: Making Of; Unveröffentlichte Szenen; Film: Mit Lego-Figuren nachgestelltes WM-1954 Endspiel; Dokumentation zum WM-Endspiel 1954 mit s/w-Auszügen aus der Berichterstattung über das Spiel und Statements der Spieler und Zeitzeugen

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

'soles' :cwm39:

<i>The DVD has English subtitles and includes an 86-minutes doumentary, Planet Hasenbergl, about daily life in this part of Munich.</i>

Now that's good news!   

Thanks once again, 'soles, for the most-appreciated information!

Love,
Sir J