Four Minutes

Pianist Traude Krüger has been giving piano lessons in a women's prison for more than 60 years. She first refuses when she is instructed to teach Jenny, an inmate convicted of murder. But when she hears how the unapproachable and erratic young woman plays, she changes her mind. She immediately senses Jenny’s talent, hidden deep beneath an armour of violence – towards herself and others. The piano lessons become a battle of wills between the self-destructive inmate and her schoolmarm teacher. Chris Kraus casts two very different women in the roles of the main characters: the experienced Monica Bleibtreu and the previously almost unknown Hannah Herzsprung, who delivers an exceptional, universally acclaimed performance. The counterpart of the two main actresses is established by the music, featuring compositions by Mozart, Schubert and Beethoven, as well as contemporary pieces by Annette Focks, composed especially for the film. This award winning picture premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival where it received the grand prize in 2006. Both of the leading actresses received awards in festivals, including the German Film Awards for the Best Leading and Best Supporting Actress. At the same time, the picture took the main prize for Best German Film in 2007.