Festival “Berlin & Beyond”: German cinema beyond the Stereotypes

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In San Francisco, the largest German film festival outside of Europe: “Berlin & Beyond” is currently running films that would otherwise land is hardly in the American cinema. That comes out to the audience.

It is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and one that countless immigrant cultures. San Francisco, once a stronghold of the Hippie movement, today the gateway to the Silicon Valley, a town between the future and the past, and a perfect place for a film festival, the cinema beyond Hollywood presented

“The Bay Area is a cultural epicenter,” says Sophoan Sorn, for 9 years Director of the film festival “Berlin & Beyond”, organised by the Goethe-Institut. “We are connected with the whole world. In addition to the German, Austrian, and Swiss Communities, there is a wonderful audience that is very interested in this, can inspire and be curious. And that comes back every year.” For the past 23 years.

Festival Director Sophoan Sorn

“Don’t want to go with the flow”

Traditionally, American viewers are mostly interested in historical topics, from Germany, with Nazi – or Stasi-issue. Sophoan Sorn’d like to show you other facets.

“We don’t want to swim with the current. Often the films that are selected for the sales are received – for example, Christian Petzold’s Film ‘Transit’, or Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s ‘work’ without author’ movies, the good reviews and the American public are present, when it comes to the German Film . The are often dark, tragic films, and very complex stories. A Film like ’25 km/h’ (with which the Festival opened, note d. editorial), is a wonderful Film that describes the complexity of the relationships between people. We go with the Festival on an adventure and we don’t want to repeat Stereotypes.”

Scene from the film “25 km/h” with Bjarne girl (front) and Lars Eidinger

Laughter in the hall

For the screening of the Comedy “25 km/h” there was a long queue in front of the Castro Theatre, including many of the German emigrants, who want to see the winners of the “Spotlight Award”. Bjarne Mädel, the German spectators, especially as a “crime scene cleaner” of the German cult series is known, travelled extra from Germany. “This is an insanely great house”, the surprised girl, “I know of at the Moment is no nicer cinema in the world, what is comparable with this great space. It is a great honor that our Film will be shown.” The road movie of two unequal brothers to fulfill a dream of youth and the Moped ride through Germany, will be heartily laughed at him in the cinema, which is primarily due to the two great main Lars Eidinger and of course, prize-winner Bjarne girl models.

“We are both more similar than one would think. Lars is also very ambitious, and because we have nurtured the both of us. If you have noticed, ‘Ah, the other just makes what is Great in the scene’, then one thought: ‘I must put also, contrary to what, now, do not let go.'”

Guest in San Francisco: Bjarne Mädel

Netflix as an opportunity?

Well, the Castro Theatre was running a full demonstration of the youth movie “Amelie”. The Goethe Institute had invited school classes, suitable for world women’s day, an all-female jury of young people from Mexico, Canada and California award-winning Film. Producer Philipp Budweg is happy that the story comes to a rebellious asthma, sick girl, which is in the South Tyrolean Alps is an adventure and grows so well. In the American cinema, the production would not come, says Budweg, certainly not in the original language – possibly as a Remake. A hope is there, then, but: “Recently, could it be that a Film in the Original runs in Netflix. This is a Chance. Because the youth is. And accept that you see an original movie with subtitles. This may just be the change of generation, that the original language films have a Chance at a larger audience in the streaming services.”

The Festival closes on Thursday (14.03.) with Hans Weingartner’s film “303”, in which two adorable curves plan lots of people in the caravan through half of Europe. “Berlin & Beyond” ends as it began: with a road movie.

In Germany, the year 2018/2019, the Goethe-Institut celebrates the German Film is still extensive and provides DC 48 films for free as a Stream in the English language. From the “Beloved sisters” to “Oh Boy” and “Goethe!”, from the “Blue angels” to the “Cabinet of Dr. Caligari”. And in the category “Critically considered” German and US-American film journalists their very own favorite movies. Seven days, from the 8. up to the 14. In March, the Festival. More than 500 German films were shown in San Francisco in the last 23 years. The Deutsche Welle is a media partner.