Christiane F. - Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo is a 1981 film that portrays the drug scene in West Berlin in the 1970s, following tape recordings of Christiane F.

Drug addiction appears in movies quite often, but almost never is it the main focus of the movie. For instance, last year’s Ray portrayed the heroin addiction of Ray Charles from which he could free himself by the end of the film. In movies about celebrities in general, drug addiction is often used as a token theme. Rarely, however, movies are made which primarily deal with the topic of drug abuse. It is a very difficult and uneasy topic to explore. Some of the movies made about drug addiction achieved cult status and belong to the milestones of the genre (Requiem for a Dream, Trainspotting), some are seen as merely passable at best (Spun). However, most of the films of this kind are newer ones as cinema became more daring with time. The 2000 flick Requiem for a Dream is seen by most as the best representative of the genre, as something unique that has never been done this way before. In a way, it is true and I certainly don’t want to argue that the movie doesn’t deserve the accolade it gets. However, it should be noted that almost 20 years before Requiem for a Dream, a gritty and no less daring film about drug addiction has been made: Christiane F.

Unlike Requiem for a Dream, Christiane F. doesn’t rely on heavy technical elements like the fast-paced editing, edgy cinematography or an intense and hypnotic score. The technical details are very subtle. The score is minimal and mostly consists of David Bowie tunes in very few crucial scenes. The movie’s style is mostly cinéma vérité. It is stressed by the use of an intradiegetic soundtrack throughout most of the movie, predominantly natural lighting and little editing. This style makes the movie appear much less glossy than most of today's drug dramas. Christiane F. is raw, gritty, relentless and doesn’t try to hide it. The drug scene is presented like it really is – dirty, ugly and filled with utterly hopeless people who tried to escape the hell of their lives only to end up in another hell - the one of addiction. There is little light at the end of the tunnel here. The movie portrays the youth who has lost all its innocence, dignity and dreams. They are neither dead, nor alive. Their life consists of a constant struggle for the next fix. The fact that almost the entire cast consists of no-name, young first timers (most of whom never acted in a movie again, after this film) adds even more authenticity to the film. Natja Brunckhorst as Christiane F. pretty much single-handedly carries the movie and her performance is immensely impressive. The entire movie is told from her point of view and the audience suffers with her all the way. It is needless to say that the movie is depressing and doesn’t have any light moments of relief. The insight into the drug scene is sometimes so realistic that it hurts, but you can’t turn your eyes away from the movie. In particular one heroin withdrawal effects scene of Christiane and her boyfriend is extremely intense and probably the most realistic of its kind that was ever shot. The movie shows the reality of these lost lives in a harsh and uncompromising light. The fact that it is a true story makes the impact even stronger.