Checkmate: Strategy of a Revolution (2003)

How do you fabricate or stage a revolution?

Romania 1989: When Ceausescu refused to accept the reforms sweeping Eastern Europe in 1989, the ruthless Romanian dictator rushed headlong into his own destruction. As the last of the hard-liners in the Warsaw Pact, only Ceausescu stood in the way of Europe’s reunification….

With the backdrop of one of the most exciting episodes of history, an intricate web of international political strategies unfolds. The Romanian revolution of 1989 seemed spontaneous. But, as this investigative documentary shows, history is not that simple.

Susanne Brandstätter worked on her documentary for almost three years "Checkmate - Strategy of a Revolution" discovered the background to the Romanian Revolution in 1989 and the fall of the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. Her film shows how and why Germany, Hungary and especially the USA stood behind the stage. It wasn't just about the good of the Romanian people. Europe's unification and Germany Reunification was at stake - and America's supremacy.

Susanne Brandstätter puts the events in Romania into international context. It was an international chess game - a power game with far-reaching consequences for Europe and the USA.