Virtual Friday Night Films at the Wende: Three Wishes for Cinderella

Popelka (Czech for Cinderella) is known for her rebellious spirit. She is spunkier than her Disney counterpart, and her destiny relies less on magic than her courage and wits. This version of the fairy tale has feminist undertones and is based on nineteenth-century author Božena Němcová’s take on the tale. The film was co-produced by DEFA, the state-owned film studio of the German Democratic Republic, and the Czech Barrandov Studios. It was shown on American TV in the mid-1970s. It has become a family holiday classic in several European countries, where it is broadcast annually on TV, a tradition that has been likened to that of It’s a Wonderful Life in the United States.

Free to watch on YouTube.

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Virtual Film Picks are inspired by the in-person Friday Night Films at the Wende program series. This selection is part of a curated list of weekly movie suggestions that can be watched at home, in conjunction with #WendeOnline.