Kammerspielfilm is a type ofGerman film that offers an intimate,cinematic portrait of lowermiddle class life.[1][2]
The name derives from a theater, theKammerspiele, opened in 1906 by a major stage directorMax Reinhardt to show intimate dramas to small audiences. Few Kammerspiel films were made, but nearly all are classics.[3]Kammerspielfilme (the plural form) formed a German filmmovement of the 1920ssilent film era that was developed around the same time as the more commonly knownExpressionist movement in cinema. TheKammerspielfilm was known as the "chamber drama" as a result of the influence from the theatrical form of thechamber play.[4] It is distinguished by its focus on character psychology and its lack of intricate set design. Also, unlike Expressionist films,Kammerspielfilme rarely usedintertitles to narrate the story.
