Merkel

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Merkel

2022

1h 35m

Documentary

Biography

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Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

6 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Angela Merkel, the enigmatic first woman Chancellor of Germany, was Western Europe's most powerful leader for years. Clear-eyed, cool-headed, diligent, and methodical, she put her politics first, setting ideology aside. An East German pastor's daughter, Merkel re-invented herself after the fall of the Berlin Wall, often outsmarting and outstaying her male opponents in her historic Chancellorship of Germany. Using vast archive materials and interviews with those who know her -- friends, journalists, political allies, and critics -- the film creates a rich portrait, from Merkel’s upbringing in communist East Germany, studies in quantum chemistry, her surprising start in politics and fast ascent. Merkel's success came despite the double standards facing women leaders -- the hard judgment and incessant scrutiny -- and the film makes a case for politics marked by truth and integrity. It is a thoughtful re-examination of her life and career told with humor, subtlety, and poignancy.

Craig Mathieson

Sydney Morning Herald

Diligent but mostly favourable, Eva Weber’s documentary feature unfolds many of the layers that Merkel cloaked herself in.

Sep 18, 2023

Full Review

Stephen Farber

The Hollywood Reporter

An apt tribute to a political ground-breaker.

Sep 5, 2022

Full Review

Jude Dry

IndieWire

She may not make the most exciting subject on personality alone, and the film shows that strain, but her remarkable life and accomplishments more than make up for it.

Rated: B+

Sep 4, 2022

Full Review

Jen Shieff

New Zealand Herald

Merkel is a beautifully crafted documentary.

Rated: 5/5

Jan 7, 2025

Full Review

James Croot

The Post NZ

... A fascinating account of how an East German physicist became the de facto leader of the EU and held her country’s top job for an incredible 16 years.

Aug 28, 2023

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Eva Weber

Director

Angela Merkel

Self

Tony Blair

Self

Hillary Clinton

Self

Condoleezza Rice

Self

Bernd Ulrich

Self

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Synopsis

Angela Merkel, the enigmatic first woman Chancellor of Germany, was Western Europe's most powerful leader for years. Clear-eyed, cool-headed, diligent, and methodical, she put her politics first, setting ideology aside. An East German pastor's daughter, Merkel re-invented herself after the fall of the Berlin Wall, often outsmarting and outstaying her male opponents in her historic Chancellorship of Germany. Using vast archive materials and interviews with those who know her -- friends, journalists, political allies, and critics -- the film creates a rich portrait, from Merkel’s upbringing in communist East Germany, studies in quantum chemistry, her surprising start in politics and fast ascent. Merkel's success came despite the double standards facing women leaders -- the hard judgment and incessant scrutiny -- and the film makes a case for politics marked by truth and integrity. It is a thoughtful re-examination of her life and career told with humor, subtlety, and poignancy.

Director: Eva Weber
Screenwriter: Eva Weber
Distributor: Gravitas Ventures
Genre: Documentary, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 25, 2025
Runtime: 1h 35m

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