Out of Exile: The Photography of Fred Stein

Out of Exile charts the life of German photographer Fred Stein, whose street scenes from 1930s Paris and 1940s New York became lasting records of urban life under pressure. The film follows Stein as the world tilts toward war, and yet his camera keeps clicking, amassing thousands of images that reveal human moments amid fear and displacement. Reconstructed with voices for Fred and his wife Lilo, with Mark Waschke voicing Fred and Barbara Sukowa voicing Lilo, vintage stills, and contemporary narration, the documentary tracks how Stein negotiates exile, censorship, and the pull of ordinary scenes that capture the mood of an era. The story unfolds through the lens, showing how photography can survive upheaval and preserve memory beyond borders.

Directed by Dawn Freer and Peter Stein, Out of Exile uses Fred Stein's own photographs and biographical material to shape a contemporary portrait. It presents a focused look at a photographer whose work bridges two continents.

Box office data for this documentary is not publicly disclosed. As a niche cultural release, its financial footprint is not widely reported, and the film has seen attention mainly through festivals, screenings, and streaming platforms.

Readers and listeners are guided to see how street photography can preserve memory under pressure. The film foregrounds memory, displacement, and daily life as acts of resistance, linking Stein's Paris scenes to his New York work and the broader wartime experience.