Story of a love affair (1950) is the legendary Michelangelo Antonioni's debut feature, a powerful statement on the delusions and violence sparked by a passionate love. This deeply tragic romance already exhibits the astonishing formal control and penetrating insights into the human condition that would later make him famous in films like Il Grido, L'Avventura and Blow-up.

France, 1640: Cyrano, the charismatic swordsman-poet with the absurd nose, hopelessly loves the beauteous Roxane; she, in turn, confesses to Cyrano her love for the handsome but tongue-tied Christian. The chivalrous Cyrano sets up with Christian an innocent deception, with tragic results. Much cut from the play, but dialogue not rewritten.

The reel women collection features films about women and/or made by female directors. Strong female roles reflecting socialist gender ideals and policies abound, such as in the filmic foundation myth, Castles and cottages. In other films, such as A Berlin romance, women are portrayed as susceptible to the consumer attractions of the West, but also the site of conscience and moral action, as in The murderers are among us and Destinies of women. Later films, such as Her third, Solo sunny and All my girls, emphasize the search for personal fulfillment in a society that professes gender equality and emancipation, economic independence, professional sovereignty and self-determination for women of life, even though it is still male-dominated. Certain films about women and women's issues were considered too controversial and banned (Carla, Jadup and Boel) or censored (The bicycle). A key film in this collection is the groundbreaking 1988 documentary Winter Adé, in which women of different ages and backgrounds openly discuss their lives and question the official image of women in the GDR.