"In America, many people think of this film as a political drama," the filmmaker says. "But it is also a human drama about the ability of people to do the right thing, no matter how deeply they have been corrupted."

The risk the seemingly hardened spy Wiesler takes is ultimately to fight for his own soul. "And for common decency," Donnersmarck adds.

"I am convinced all dictatorships are bad," he continues. "But I made this film because the Communist regime is part of the Cold War under which I grew up."

The film is also getting back to Lenin, he says with a wry smile.

"The idea for this film began in my mind nearly 10 years ago when I was in film school," Donnersmarck explains. "When I was listening to a sonata by Beethoven, I suddenly remembered reading what Lenin had said about the sonata Appassionata to his friend Maxim Gorky. Though it was Lenin's favorite piece of music, he was afraid that if he listened to it his revolutionary work would be delayed. It would make him want to 'tell people sweet stupid things and stroke their heads at a time when it was necessary to smash in those heads, smash them without mercy.'"

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