Edgar Reitz
Heimat

In 1979, one of the most fascinating and original cinematic undertakings of the "New German Cinema" and film history begins: it's "Heimat" (Homeland), a film divided into 11 episodes for a total of 931 minutes completed in 1984.

The story (or rather the stories) takes place in Germany, in a (fictional) village named Schabbach located in the Hunsruck region from 1919 to 1982. The work retraces Germany's history through the eyes and actions of the inhabitants of that small world, which at times seems isolated and timeless, and at other times appears to be overwhelmed by the historical events that shook the 20th century. In particular, the director focuses on the Simon family and the character of Maria, born precisely in 1900 (she will die in the last episode), the only true protagonist above the others, the only thread that connects in a spontaneous and visceral way the multiplicity, sometimes disorderly, of reality and events. The episodes follow a chronological order, but time is either stretched or condensed in a completely arbitrary way, so it might happen that an entire episode covers only a few days and then leaps several years ahead in the next episode.

As for the plot in detail, I do not consider it appropriate to dwell on explaining step by step what happens (there would be pages upon pages to write), also because it would be very difficult given the "non-scientific" structure of the work: in fact, as if it were a diary, we witness events with temporal and spatial jumps, to suggestive moments of great poetry where the action becomes almost nonexistent and passages, perhaps entirely irrelevant for the narrative, which are given great attention but ultimately have a great impact (I recall episode 3 centered on Christmas '35, and episode 9 dealing with the amorous adventures of young Hermann). The multiplicity of characters that appear and disappear, the extras, the plots, and marriages would make the review a subject for a soap opera, so I let it be and advise the viewer not to watch "Heimat" to see how it ends, but to enjoy the shots, the development of characters and places (according to the highest concept of the "journey theme," it's not so much the arrival that's important, it's the journey itself). The beauty of this film (a reductive term in our case) lies precisely in the fact that each viewer can be attracted to different aspects, episodes, characters and can experience the epic in a completely subjective way, becoming attached to places or situations that may be less interesting to others. Personally, I find the idea of opening each episode with a sort of summary (like for a TV show) entrusted directly to a character, Glasisch, who shows all the photographs of the village album and retraces the entire story with a profound melancholic sweetness of one who has been part of a world that is no more. The most beautiful note is discovering that Glasisch is none other than the village fool, a person everyone treats with indifference and coldness, elevated by the director to the role of omniscient narrator, and in the last splendid and surreal episode, he will be the link between the present of the living and the world of the dead.

Photography plays a crucial role, and the choice of alternating black and white with color (with what criterion is uncertain) is apt and suggestive. The images of fields with tall grass swaying gracefully in the wind like ocean waves are beautiful, as are the winter landscapes in the second episode, or the interiors of the simple peasant houses. The close-ups of Maria, Hermann, and the minor roles leave an impression; it's wonderful to see the progressive transformation of places, customs, mentality, activities, and objects.

Apart from the beauty of the film in and of itself, I find the perspective of history it offers equally interesting: rhetoric never makes an appearance (and it would have been easy, especially in the episodes centered around the Nazi era); rather, the work's choral nature gives us the opportunity to see a glimpse of common people and their relationship with institutions and war.

Ultimately, "Heimat" is a majestic masterpiece that brings into play the intimacy of family, Germany, and all of humankind, and gives us a chance to reflect on Time, the cycles of life, and feelings, while also reminding us not to overlook those small moments which too often, considered insignificant, are erased from history and our memory.

About ten years later came "Heimat 2" and in 2004 the saga concluded with "Heimat 3."

The titles of the "Heimat" episodes: 1. Nostalgia of Distant Lands, 2. The Center of the World, 3. Christmas Like Never Before, 4. The Heights of the Reich Road, 5. Fled Away and Returned, 6. The Internal Front, 7. The Love of Soldiers, 8. The American, 9. Hermannchen, 10. The Roaring Years, 11. The Feast of the Living and the Dead.