Film · 2001 · Documentary

Herr Schmidt und Herr Friedrich

Scenes from the life of an aging homosexual couple - Wilfried Friedrich and Kurt "Kuddel" Schmidt. A relationship-comedy and at the same time, a trip into the German past and provincial life. The two men lead a life full of passion for trivial things, and they lead a pretty good marriage. Their story began before the fall of the Wall: one was a salesman in the west, the other was a waiter at a train station restaurant in East Berlin. The days of employment are long gone and the two men, both in their mid fifties, are confronted daily with the question of the meaning of life. They occupy themselves with various hobbies, like mini-golf, gardening, grilling, and above all, various well-maintained collections. For example, records, video cassettes, decorative plates, model trains, letters, and secret police files. Wilfried and Kuddel open closets to display their unbelievably well-organized collection of things and are themselves overwhelmed by all the memories.