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Lea

  • 1996
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
518
YOUR RATING
Lea (1996)
DramaRomance

51-year-old Herbert Strehlow, a furniture restorer, falls in love with 21-year-old Lea, who has not spoken a word since childhood when her father killed her mother. She bears a striking rese... Read all51-year-old Herbert Strehlow, a furniture restorer, falls in love with 21-year-old Lea, who has not spoken a word since childhood when her father killed her mother. She bears a striking resemblance to Herbert's dead wife. They get married, but their relationship seems doomed, unt... Read all51-year-old Herbert Strehlow, a furniture restorer, falls in love with 21-year-old Lea, who has not spoken a word since childhood when her father killed her mother. She bears a striking resemblance to Herbert's dead wife. They get married, but their relationship seems doomed, until gradually each one manages to penetrate the mysterious world of the other, and they beg... Read all

  • Director
    • Ivan Fíla
  • Writers
    • Ivan Fíla
    • Lubomír Feldek
  • Stars
    • Lenka Vlasáková
    • Christian Redl
    • Hanna Schygulla
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    518
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Ivan Fíla
    • Writers
      • Ivan Fíla
      • Lubomír Feldek
    • Stars
      • Lenka Vlasáková
      • Christian Redl
      • Hanna Schygulla
    • 8User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 14 wins & 11 nominations total

    Photos3

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top Cast16

    Edit
    Lenka Vlasáková
    Lenka Vlasáková
    • Lea
    Christian Redl
    Christian Redl
    • Strehlow
    Hanna Schygulla
    Hanna Schygulla
    • Wanda
    Miroslav Donutil
    Miroslav Donutil
    • Gregor Palty
    Udo Kier
    Udo Kier
    • Block
    Gerd Lohmeyer
    • Postmaster
    Tereza Vetrovská
    • Young Lea
    Ivan Gogál
    Ivan Gogál
    • Father of Lea
    • (as Ivo Gogál)
    Klára Jirsáková
    • Mother of Lea
    Oliver Stritzel
    Oliver Stritzel
    • Doctor
    Herman van Ulzen
    Herman van Ulzen
    • Administrator
    Zuzana Krónerová
    Zuzana Krónerová
    • Beata Paltyova
    Sona Valentová
    Sona Valentová
    • Doctor
    Mojmír Kucera
    • Jakub
    Ján Melkovic
    • Station-master
    Stano Danciak
    • Hotel-keeper
    • Director
      • Ivan Fíla
    • Writers
      • Ivan Fíla
      • Lubomír Feldek
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews8

    7.3518
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    10

    Featured reviews

    10GinoBilodeau

    Each moment of the film exposes humanity to it's own existential romance...

    Ivan Fila torments you into an oblivion of thoughts when you first watch Léa. What was avid of torment and nostalgia slowly evolves into meaningful bliss taking place in a reality where the exploration of one's self is a battle that can last a lifetime. In each second of the movie, you hear Léa speak inside her eyes when the colors of her mentality meet the mnemonic eyes of Strehlow. The movie propels you into one's view of the liberation of emotions by the means of artistic release, constantly gripping you into it's excruciation. Are you imprisoned by the past? The movie explores that theme without cynicism and without the actual clichés of current cinematographic creations. Each moment of the film exposes humanity to it's own existential romance in a way which will fascinate the viewer. Léa is a tormenting character, she will take whoever watches into her individuality, and let you share her freedom while being a prisoner of herself and others. A prisoner in whom you do not find speech, but liberation inside other means of expressions. Is love found by the means of words? Another question that elaborates the concept of romance. Lea should be seen, so that you see and feel a story, in which realities collide to form a union that separates the usual cliché from a new meaningful subsistence. The journey that is life, never ceases to continue in Lea: each must learn from hers or his own past to shine into the beauty of existence...
    ping-2

    Talk of melancholy and the infinite sadness...

    I have never seen a sadder movie in my life. This is a tragic story of a very special person who lives the harshest existence film may have ever seen. This story is a genuine poem into itself. It feels like an old story because it is. It reminds us that woman have suffered this kind of abuse for thousands of years and still do today. Take a chance and go see it. There is some happiness in a strange and poetic way.

    Bring some tissue and a sweater, this film is cold.

    7 bucks out of 8
    10Majercikdaniel

    Raw and extraordinary

    This film is an ode to filmmaking. Strong in every sense. It is one of best movie I have seen. Highly recommended. Camera and scenes complement this extraordinary filmmaking.
    6petshop

    Over-rated

    A "the Piano-esque" story of a young Slovakian woman who witnesses and experiences terrible things. It is also a love story.

    While beautiful and idyllically paced, much of the story simply seems too familiar. Eventually beauty tames the beast, and true love evolves from abuse. But at just a moment too late...

    The overdramatic and sometimes downright annoying score (you'll hear glass shatter about 10 times a minute) labriously bog down what otherwise may have been a beautiful film.
    dmihic

    Intoxicating

    This is a very sad yet strangely intoxicating film. My eyes dried out because I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. You never know whether Lea's story will turn for the better or the worse. She is a very sad soul that you just want to scoop up and take care and hope that Mr.Strehlow will do the same despite his unorthodox methods. Although we have seen Lea's story before, this German-Slovak perspective should not be missed.

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    Related interests

    Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, André Holland, Herman Caheej McGloun, Edson Jean, Alex R. Hibbert, and Tanisha Cidel in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
    Romance

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Connections
      Featured in The 55th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1998)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 22, 1997 (Czech Republic)
    • Countries of origin
      • Czech Republic
      • Germany
      • France
    • Languages
      • Slovak
      • German
    • Also known as
      • Леа
    • Production companies
      • Ivan Fila Filmproduktion
      • Avista Film
      • Barrandov Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $31,071
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $914
      • Sep 29, 2000
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 40m(100 min)
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby SR
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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