Purgatory

Daniel accidentally witnesses a kidnapping on the street. After his report to the police didn't get the attention he had hoped for, he looks for an explanation himself and gets more and more entangled in doubts about his surroundings and his own actions. Through his commitment, he finds himself increasingly exposed to violence and eventually kills a person. During the interrogation by the public prosecutor, he experiences the purgatory of his awakening.

Directed by Haro Senft, Purgatory leans on a strong ensemble — Jost Vobeck, Ingeborg Schöner, Paul Albert Krumm — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1971.