East Side Story

Since the collapse of the Berlin Wall a score of Russian and Eastern European films has surfaced, but until now only a few people knew that some forty effervescent socialistic musicals were made behind the Iron Curtain. Until now, that is, because thanks to the keen nose of director Ranga and producer Horn the socialistic musical will yet get a place in film historiography. The surprising German documentary East Side Story features myriad beautiful excerpts that were never before shown in the West. Some of these Russian and Eastern European productions even seem to be made in the best Hollywood tradition. People who participated in these musicals tell about the productional circumstances and the status these music films had at the time. Apart from the ‘Doris Day of the East’, the film introduces Stalin‘s favourite musical. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)