If You’re Reading This I’m Dead

Photo: Peter Hammer
Illustration: Broder Daniel/Pineapple Entertainment

If You’re Reading This I’m Dead

Documentary mini series 4x30’
A Pineapple Entertainment production for DR (2021)
Available for streaming on DRTV until June 18, 2024

E01: The Spy

Why did the spy commit suicide? Vibe’s dad left a mystery behind. During the Cold War he was a spy for East Germany. Later he became a finance guy on Wall Street. A strange life. Now Vibe is set on understanding what he was made of - and what it all means for her.

E02: Radicalisation

What did East Germany do to Henrik Dahl? Vibe visits her father’s former communist school. Here he was recruited by the military intelligence service Bereichsafuklärung - and here he met the love of his life, Luci. Luci helps Vibe understand her father before he disappeared into espionage and paranoia. Henrik was obsessed with codes and riddles. Did he leave her a secret message?

E03: Code name ‘Apache’

Vibe visits the Stasi Archive in Berlin to find new information about her father’s time as a spy. Henrik Dahl’s love interest Luci remembers how he suddenly changed. Counter espionage expert Helmut Müller-Enbergs helps Vibe understand what her father was subjected to.

E04: Shadows

Vibe’s father committed espionage for an East German intelligence service during the Cold War. He lived with anxiety and was committed to a psychiatric ward with depression when she was a small child. Has he ever told anyone what he was afraid of? The only people who know what he did are his former handlers in the old intelligence service. This is last call for seeking them out.

Hvis du læser dette er jeg død

Dokumentarserie 4x30’
en Pineapple Entertainment produktion for DR (2021)
Available for streaming on DRTV indtil 18. juni 2024

E01: Spionen

Hvorfor begik spionen selvmord? Vibes far har efterladt et mysterium. Under den kolde krig spionerede han for østtyskerne. Senere blev han finansmand på Wall Street. Et mærkeligt liv. Nu vil Vibe forstå, hvad han var lavet af - og hvad det betyder for hende.

E02: Radikalisering

Hvad gjorde Østtyskland ved Henrik Dahl? Vibe besøger sin fars gamle kommunisthøjskole. Her blev han hvervet af spiontjenesten - og her mødte han sit livs kærlighed, Luci. Luci hjælper Vibe med at forstå sin far før han forsvandt ind i spionage og paranoia. Henrik var vild med koder og gåder. Har han gemt en hemmelig meddelelse til hende?

E03: Kodenavn ‘Apache’

Vibe er på Stasi-arkivet i Berlin og finder nye oplysninger om sin fars tid som spion. Henrik Dahls store kærlighed Luci husker, hvordan han pludselig ændrede sig. Kontraspionageeksperten Helmut Müller-Enbergs hjælper Vibe med at forstå, hvad hendes far har været udsat for.

E04: Skyggerne

Vibes far spionerede for østtyskerne under den kolde krig. Han levede med angst og blev indlagt med en svær depression, da hun var lille. Har han nogensinde fortalt nogen, hvorfor han var bange? De eneste, som ved, hvad han har lavet, er hans gamle føringsofficerer. Det er sidste udkald for at opsøge dem.

Above: Series trailer.

Below: The series employs a narrator and investigator in the guise of me dressed as a Cold War-era spy archetype. He writes reports and goes through archives and tails and surveils the protagonist Vibe, daughter of diseased former GDR intelligence agent Henrik Dahl whose last email to her announced ‘If you’re reading this I’m dead’. These are original 35 mm b&w shots by me taken with my father’s old Olympus OM-2 mirror reflex camera for the production.

Ovenfor: Seriens trailer.

Nedenfor: Serien gør brug af en fortæller og efterforsker i skikkelse af mig klædt ud som arketypisk koldkrigs-spion. Han skriver rapporter og gennemgår arkiver, skygger og fotograferer hovedpersonen Vibe, som er datter af den afdøde forhenværende DDR-agent Henrik Dahl, hvis sidste email til hende annoncerede: “Hvis du læser dette er jeg død”. Disse billeder er originale 35mm sort-hvid fotografier taget med min fars gamle Olympus OM-2 spejlreflekskamera af mig til brug for produktionen.

Credits

Written and directed by
PETER HAMMER

Director of Photography
CHRISTINA MARTINY MOLTKE

2nd unit photography
FREDERIK ROTHAUS NØRREGAARD

Editing
LINE SCHOU
SØREN PORS

Research
LEA DYRUP JENSEN
CHRISTINA MARTINY MOLTKE
WILL STUDDERT

Historical research consultant
THOMAS WEGENER FRIIS

Scenography
ANTON ØSTERGAARD

Sound Mix
ALEX PAVLOVIC

Color grading
MIKKEL AUDE

Graphic design
Daniel Brock Mikkelsen

Vfx
FREDERIK FRANK

Production
NEWROZ YILDIRIM

Creative producer
PETER HAMMER

Executive Producer
OLE RAHBEK

Commissioning Editor, DR
LASSE BJØRCH

a
PINEAPPLE ENTERTAINMENT
production for
DR

Illustration: DRTV

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