The Sons Die Before the Fathers is a sensitive look at East German life and the problems of the individual who doesn't fit in from the perspective of a West German filmmaker. The unpretentious narrative, well scripted and acted, centers on two young men who seek relief from their alienation, and a woman (played by the stage and screen actress Eva Mattes) who figures into their fantasy of freedom, though they do not fit into hers.
“Like many of the women filmmakers who comprise an important part of the New German Cinema, Claudia Holldack works from a feminist position, examining social conditions within the context of class and gender identity. (As Holldack illustrates in The Sons Die..., the roots of restlessness and revolt are of a political, not hormonal, resonance.) Involved in film and television production since 1966, Holldack has written scripts and served as assistant director for Fassbinder, Gremm, Willutzki and others. Her own projects include The Illusion of Possibilities and A Thousand Muted Songs.” (Laura Thielen)