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The Lives of Others poster

The Lives of Others (2006)

“Before the Fall of the Berlin Wall, East Germany's Secret Police Listened to Your Secrets.”

8.0/10 · 4,249 votes 2h 17m r ThrillerDrama

#3 of 217 films from 2006 #53 of 2475 in thriller

Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck · Written by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

▶ Trailer, images & where to stream

Overview

In 1984 East Berlin, dedicated Stasi officer Gerd Wiesler begins spying on a famous playwright and his actress-lover Christa-Maria. Wiesler becomes unexpectedly sympathetic to the couple, and faces conflicting loyalties when his superior takes a liking to Christa-Maria.

Cast

Martina Gedeckas Christa-Maria Sieland
Ulrich Müheas Gerd Wiesler
Sebastian Kochas Georg Dreyman
Ulrich Tukuras Anton Grubitz
Thomas Thiemeas Bruno Hempf
Hans-Uwe Baueras Paul Hauser
Volkmar Kleinertas Albert Jerska
Matthias Brenneras Karl Wallner
Charly Hübneras Udo
Herbert Knaupas Gregor Hessenstein
Bastian Trostas Häftling 227
Marie Gruberas Frau Meineke
Volker Michalowskias Schriftexperte
Werner Daehnas Einsatzleiter in Uniform

Facts

Release dateMarch 23, 2006
Runtime137 min (2h 17m) — longer as the 2006 average of 106 min
GenresThriller, Drama
Original titleDas Leben der Anderen
LanguageDE
Budget$2,000,000
Box office$77,672,685 (38.8× budget)
IMDbtt0405094

More from Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Never Look AwayNever Look Away2018 · ★ 7.7 · 3h 8m The TouristThe Tourist2010 · ★ 6.2 · 1h 43m

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Questions

How long is The Lives of Others?
The Lives of Others runs 137 minutes (2h 17m).
Is The Lives of Others worth watching?
TMDB users give it 8/10 across 4,249 votes, which places it #3 of 217 films released in 2006 in this index (top 99%) and #53 among 2475 thriller titles.
Who directed The Lives of Others?
The Lives of Others was directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. Other well-rated titles by the same director: Never Look Away (2018), The Tourist (2010).
Who stars in The Lives of Others?
Martina Gedeck as Christa-Maria Sieland; Ulrich Mühe as Gerd Wiesler; Sebastian Koch as Georg Dreyman; Ulrich Tukur as Anton Grubitz; Thomas Thieme as Bruno Hempf; Hans-Uwe Bauer as Paul Hauser.
What is The Lives of Others rated?
It carries a r certification in its home market. Ratings differ by country.
Where can I watch the trailer for The Lives of Others?
Open the title in the MTDb app for trailers, images and streaming links: https://mv.peoplentools.com/titles/29418.

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Film data and images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Ratings are TMDB user scores as of 2026-10-05.