NVA (German: [ɛn faʊ̯ ˈʔaː] ) is a German comedy film released in 2005, that involves two friends who serve in the National People's Army of the former GDR (East Germany). It was directed by Leander Haußmann, who – together with Thomas Brussig – also wrote the screenplay. The film caricatures the life of the National People's Army (abbreviated: NVA), in the final years of East Germany.
Contents
Cast
Kim Frank - Private Henrik Heidler
Oliver Bröcker - Private Krüger
Jasmin Schwiers - Marie Kalt
Detlev Buck - Colonel Kalt
Thorsten Michaelis - Captain Stummel
Ignaz Kirchner - Warrant Officer Futterknecht
Maxim Mehmet - Corporal Aurich
Annika Kuhl - Nurse Sonja
Robert Gwisdek - Traubewein
Reception
The film received mostly negative reception. Reviewers with Die Tageszeitung stated that Haußmann shouldn't have turned the film into a light comedy, which the reviewer calling it "misleading" to not take on a serious tone and address the systematic abuse of conscripts. Another reviewr from Tagesspiegel stated that while the film was a comedy, the humour did not land and reiterated that the film also portrayed the NVA as too harmless.
