The Airship
Das Luftschiff
Synopsis
Franz Xavier Stannebein, a young boy at the turn of the 20th century, wants to do nothing more than fly. He carries this dream through his years at an orphanage and into adulthood as a merchant in Spain. He eventually invests everything he has into building his own version of an airship. He later meets some industrialists in Germany who want to support his idea, and they ask him to build an airfield in Spain. When he sees the Nazis use the field during the Spanish Civil War, however, he feels betrayed and goes to Germany to protest. There he is thrown into an insane asylum in Leipzig. After WWII, his grandson and other survivors of the family searches for him, only to find the empty asylum... Based on the novel Das Luft-Schiff. Biografische Nachlasse zu den Fantasien meines Grossvaters (1974) by Fritz Rudolf Fries. The non-camera animation in the film was created by internationally known director Lutz Dammbeck.
Top Cast
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Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Rainer Simon
- Screenplay & Story
- Rainer Simon, Fritz Rudolf Fries
- Original Score
- Karl-Ernst Sasse, Friedrich Goldmann
- Original Title
- Das Luftschiff
- Country of Origin
- Germany, East Germany
- Spoken Languages
- German
- Runtime
- 1h 57m
- Production Studios
- DEFA-Studio für Spielfilme
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Rainer Simon
Rainer Simon, Fritz Rudolf Fries
Karl-Ernst Sasse, Friedrich Goldmann
Helga Gentz
Department Leadership Roster
Rainer Simon
Director
Rainer Simon
Writer
Helga Gentz
Editor
Fritz Rudolf Fries
Writer
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Airship.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Airship
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Airship about?
Franz Xavier Stannebein, a young boy at the turn of the 20th century, wants to do nothing more than fly. He carries this dream through his years at an orphanage and into adulthood as a merchant in Spain. He eventually invests everything he has into building his own version of an airship. He later meets some industrialists in Germany who want to support his idea, and they ask him to build an airfield in Spain. When he sees the Nazis use the field during the Spanish Civil War, however, he feels betrayed and goes to Germany to protest. There he is thrown into an insane asylum in Leipzig. After WWII, his grandson and other survivors of the family searches for him, only to find the empty asylum... Based on the novel Das Luft-Schiff. Biografische Nachlasse zu den Fantasien meines Grossvaters (1974) by Fritz Rudolf Fries. The non-camera animation in the film was created by internationally known director Lutz Dammbeck.
Who directed The Airship?
The Airship was directed by Rainer Simon.
Who stars in The Airship?
The principal cast of The Airship includes Jörg Gudzuhn, Hermann Beyer, Kurt Böwe, Gudrun Ritter, Elisa Montés.
When was The Airship released and how long is it?
The Airship was released in 1983 with a total runtime of 1h 57m.
Who composed the musical score for The Airship?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Airship was composed by Karl-Ernst Sasse, Friedrich Goldmann.