Leipzig/Jena, June 29, 2026 – The Zeitgeschichtliches Forum Leipzig presents the renowned film drama “Jena Paradies” as Film of the Month on Monday, July 6, 2026. The free screening takes place as part of the supporting program for the gallery exhibition “Platte. Leben in der Großwohnsiedlung”.
- Event: Film screening “Jena Paradies” (Series “Zwischen Beton und Paradies”)
- Date & Time: Monday, July 6, 2026, 7:00 PM
- Location: Zeitgeschichtliches Forum Leipzig (Saal), Grimmaische Str. 6, 04109 Leipzig
- Admission: Free
Released in 2004, the feature film holds profound significance for the local identity of Jena. The title deliberately plays with the geographical and emotional duality of the Saalestadt: it refers directly to the well-known Jenaer Paradiesbahnhof and contrasts the pragmatic backdrop of Plattenbauten with the longing for an idyllic, personal “paradise”.
Relationship Conflicts Against a Thüringer Backdrop
The plot revolves around single mother Jeanette, who lives in Jena with her ten-year-old son Louis. When the boy finds a stable reference and father figure in the older football groundskeeper Harry, the family structure seems to stabilize. At the same time, however, the new neighbor Philipp catches Jeanette’s attention. With the beginning of this new romantic relationship, the existing mother-son relationship begins to falter.
The film captures the lifestyle of the early 2000s in Thüringen and paints an authentic picture of everyday life at that time. For director Marco Mittelstaedt, born in Berlin in 1972, who studied at the Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin after training as a photographer, the drama was both his graduation project and his successful feature film debut.
🎭 Culture & City Life: The Identity of “Jena Paradies”
For the residents of Jena, the word “Paradies” is inextricably linked with feelings of home. Whether as the green Paradiespark on the banks of the Saale or as a transport hub – the name stands for quality of life in the middle of a traditional university city. The film reflects these contrasts in a sensitive way by depicting urban life without clichés. Those interested in further cultural highlights of the region will find them in the current event tips for Thüringen.
Source:
Film of the Month “Jena Paradies” at the Zeitgeschichtliches Forum Leipzig
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