(b. 1961)<\/p>\n
Matthias Freihof played his first lead role in Coming Out<\/em>. Prior to this, he appeared in the DEFA film K\u00e4the Kollwitz: Bilder eines Lebens<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>(1986,\u00a0K\u00e4the Kollwitz: Images of a Life<\/em>). Freihof’s career has been varied and includes other films (e.g., Zur\u00fcck auf los<\/em>, 2000, Return to Go<\/em>, dir. Pierre Sanoussi-Bliss, who also appeared briefly in Coming Out<\/em>), many appearances on television, musical recordings, and work in the theatre.<\/p>\n Matthias Freihof’s website: http:\/\/www.matthiasfreihof.de\/<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n (b. 1958)<\/p>\n Dagmar Manzel appeared in multiple DEFA productions prior to her role in\u00a0Coming Out<\/em>, including Heiner Carow’s\u00a0So viele Tr\u00e4ume<\/em><\/a> (1986, So Many Dreams<\/em>) and Siegfried K\u00fchn’s\u00a0Der Traum vom Elch<\/em><\/a> (1986, The Dream of the Elk<\/em>). Manzel was also in Carow’s Verfehlung<\/em><\/a> (1991, The Mistake<\/em>). Manzel’s roles have included many on television\u2014e.g., Der Laden <\/em>(1998, The Store<\/em>), Tatort <\/em>(2015\u2013, Crime Scene<\/em>)\u2014and in film\u2014e.g., Schtonk! (<\/em>1992), Crazy <\/em>(2000),\u00a0Willenbrock <\/em>(2005), Die Unsichtbare <\/em>(2011, Cracks in the Shell<\/em>).<\/p>\n DEFA-Stiftung page on Dagmar Manzel: https:\/\/www.defa-stiftung.de\/defa\/kuenstlerin\/dagmar-manzel\/<\/a><\/p>\n Dagmar Manzel’s website: https:\/\/www.dagmar-manzel.de\/<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n (b. 1966)<\/p>\n Although he had appeared in a small role on East German television when he was a child, Dirk Kummer’s first big film role came in Coming Out<\/em>. He was also an assistant director on the film, which was how Kummer was first acquainted with the project. Kummer also acted in another of Carow’s films, Verfehlung<\/em><\/a> (1991, The Mistake<\/em>). Kummer is now primarily a director and scriptwriter. Recent projects have included a new series, Warten auf’n Bus<\/em><\/a> (Waiting for the Bus)<\/em> for rbb TV, Die Liebhaber meiner Frau<\/em> (2018, My Wife’s Lovers<\/em>), Zuckersand<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>(2017, Sugar Sand<\/em>), and Keiner geht verloren<\/em> (2009, No one gets lost<\/em>).<\/p>\n Dirk Kummer’s website: https:\/\/www.dirkkummer.de\/<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n (b. 1942)<\/p>\n Michael Gwisdek is an accomplished and award-winning theatre and film actor who appeared in many DEFA films and has had a long career after the fall of the Berlin Wall. His work in DEFA films included Till Eulenspiegel<\/em><\/a> (1974), Addio, piccola mia<\/a> (1978), and Der Tangospieler<\/em><\/a> (1990, The Tango Player<\/em>). Gwisdek made his directorial debut with Treffen in Travers<\/em><\/a> (1988, Rendezvous in Travers<\/em>).<\/p>\n DEFA-Stiftung page on Michael Gwisdek: https:\/\/www.defa-stiftung.de\/defa\/kuenstlerin\/michael-gwisdek\/<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n (1912\u20132003)<\/p>\n Werner Dissel worked as a photojournalist prior to the Nazis’ assumption of power in Germany. Dissel was a member of antifascist resistance and was arrested and imprisoned by the Nazis from 1937 to 1939, after which he was put on “Frontbew\u00e4hrung,” militarily sent to the front. In East Germany, Dissel appeared in many films in addition to Coming Out<\/em>, including Der Fall Gleiwitz<\/em> (1961, The Gleiwitz Case<\/em>), Rotk\u00e4ppchen<\/em><\/a> (1962, Little Red Riding Hood<\/em>), Till Eulenspiegel<\/em><\/a> (1974), Der Traum vom Elch<\/em><\/a> (1986, The Dream of the Elk<\/em>), and Die Architekten<\/em><\/a> (1990, The Architects<\/em>).<\/p>\n (b. 1959)<\/p>\n Axel Wandtke worked in the theatre and in small appearances on television prior to his role in\u00a0Coming Out<\/em>. In subsequent years, Wandtke appeared in many television episodes including in\u00a0Polizeiruf 110 <\/em>(Police Call 110<\/em>),\u00a0Tatort <\/em>(Crime Scene<\/em>), SOKO Wismar <\/em>(Special Police Kommission Wismar<\/em>), and\u00a0Der Landarzt <\/em>(The Country Doctor<\/em>). Wandtke has also played many roles in radio dramas for several broadcasters including Deutschlandfunk Kultur, SWR, WDR, and RBB.<\/p>\nDagmar Manzel<\/h2>\n
Dirk Kummer<\/h2>\n
Michael Gwisdek<\/h2>\n
Werner Dissel<\/h2>\n
Axel Wandtke<\/h2>\n