Screening Nostalgia

The Heimat film genre, assumed to be outdated by so many, is very much alive. Who would have thought that this genre which has been almost unanimously denounced within academic circles, but which seems to resonate so deeply with the general public would experience a renaissance in the 21st century? The genre's recent resurgence is perhaps due less to an obsession with generic storylines and stereotyped figures than to a basic human need for grounding that has resulted in a passionate debate about issues of past and present. This book traces the history of the Heimat film genre from the early mountain films to Fatih Akin's contemporary interpretations of Heimat.