Lili Marleen (West Germany, 1981)

Director H.W. Fassbinder lived a crazy life. He died very young and during his life, his more than 20 films encompass a whole history of German cinema. He was able to revolutionize German movies with his unique style. Fast cuts and scene transitions, groovy sounds and tragic plots all combine in his films. This is perhaps one of his more controversial productions. Lili Marleen is a young German cabaret singer who becomes famous overnight thanks to a melody that becomes all of a sudden the hymn of German soldiers during World War II. Based on a true story, we see how Lili gets to meet the Führer. Just as she becomes famous, her fame vanishes once the war is over. She flees to Switzerland with her fiancé. This is a very interesting view of Germany during the Nazi regime. But if you want to learn about contemporary German cinema, Fassbinder is a must.