Berlin ’89 – Of Walls and Men
Date: May 18th, 2009, 7 p.m. – within the context of Wende Flicks
Location Top Kino [Info]
repeat: May 19th, 2009, 9 p.m. at Schikaneder
For a long time Berlin, by population currently Europe’s second largest city (Einige Zahlen über die Bevölkerung Berlins), stood neither for greatness nor for unity. Divided since the end of the Second World War into a western and eastern part, this division was made clearly visible in 1961 through the Berlin Wall. While the USA successfully propagated values like freedom, consumption and free market economy with its Marshall Plan (Air of Freedom) in the West, the good life in the GDR of the 70s was promoted in the eastern part of the metropolis (DEFA Disco Film – Berlin). But the discomfort grew consistently, as the classic documentary Ein-Blick bei Gerd Conradt conveys impressively. When the wall, that for a long time served as a projection space (Die andere Seite, Berliner Blau), finally fell after 28 years in 1989 it only took a year to reach the so-called German unity. With an assured sense of style and precision, this programme traces the long way to unity and the spirit that pervades in Berlin to this day (Fliegenpflicht für Quadratköpfe).
A guest programme of the Berlin interfilm Festival, curated by Heinz Hermanns in collaboration with VIS.
Air of Freedom
FRG 1951, 11 min
director: unknown | production: ECA Western Germany and the U.S. High Commission for Germany (HICOG) and OSR
Famed radio station RIAS (Radio In the American Sector), which brought news and entertainment to the people of Berlin and Communist East Germany, is featured in this report. In the western sectors of the city reconstruction is proceeding speedily, thanks to the Marshall Plan. Leading European artists give a concert. Marshall Plan administrator Paul Hoffman opens the American exhibit at the new West Berlin Industries Fair. (Sandra Schulberg)
DEFA Disco Film – Berlin
GDR 1977, 6 min
director: Uwe Belz
Part of a Defa-series dedicated chiefly to beat and pop bands from the former Eastern Bloc, Berlin is the portrait of the new East Berlin city centre in the 70s. Soundtrack by Günther Fischer, one of the best-known East German jazz musicians.
Die andere Seite
UK 2007, 5 min
director: Ellie Land
Animated documentary about the Berlin Wall and childhood memories of wondering what it might be like on the other side.
Ein-Blick
FRG 1987, 11 min
director: Gerd Conradt
A camera documents the everyday action at the border-line that separates East and West Berlin. We observe 12 hours in quick motion; fortifications, hanging up washing, ping-pong and German Insanity.
Einige Zahlen über die Bevölkerung Berlins
Germany 1994, 3 min
director: Ralf Schuster
Statistics made easy - a prognosis about wilful suicide in Berlin.
Berliner Blau
FRG 1986, 15 min
directors: Hartmut Jahn, Peter Wensierski
The Berlin Wall as a surface upon which art, activism, history and visions are projected. A playful portrait.
Die Klärung eines Sachverhalts
Germany 2008, 20 min
directors: Christian Prettin, Sören Christian Hüper
East Germany 1985: During a 24-hour interrogation an officer of the East German secret police STASI is trying to force engineer Jürgen Schulz to withdraw his exit-permit application to leave the country. The STASI-officer pulls out all the stops in order to succeed...
Fliegenpflicht für Quadratköpfe
Germany 2004, 14 min
director: Stephan Flint Müller
Acrobatics with 10-ton-hats, farting posters, and experiments with camera perspectives.
