The Burning Soil

The Burning Soil (German: Der brennende Acker) is a 1922 German silent film directed by F.W. Murnau. It was made the same year as Murnau's Nosferatu and released in Germany around the same time. The film follows tells the story of a struggle over a plot of petroleum-rich land. It was shot at the Babelsberg Studio in Berlin. The film's sets were designed by the art director Rochus Gliese. The film was considered lost until 1978, when it was discovered to have been owned by an Italian priest who organized screenings in mental hospitals. A restoration of the film was made with the assistance of French director Eric Rohmer.