BERLINALE Retrospective & Homage

The retrospective this year has the title “Self-Determined. Perspectives of Women Filmmakers“ and features works by women from East and West Germany from the years 1968-1999, among them are films that explicitly deal with the biographies, lives, political demands, and frames of mind of women. There‘s a lot to discover. Along with essential classics like Helke Sander‘s genius DIE ALLSEITIG REDUZIERTE PERSÖNLICHKEIT – REDUPERS (1978) and Ulrike Ottinger‘s excessive DORIAN GRAY IM SPIEGEL DER BOULEVARDPREESSE (1984) there are also rarely screened films like Iris Gusner‘s freshly restored drama DIE TAUBE AUF DEM DACH (1973) which was mothballed right after it was finished in the GDR and the great post fall of the wall slacker film NIE WIEDER SCHLAFEN (1992) by Pia Frankenberg that captures Berlin in transition. The comparison between feminism from below (West) and state decreed equality (East) is interesting and it‘s always great that you can see all the retro and homage films – this year it‘s Charlotte Ramplin – in magical 35mm format.

Absolut MEDIEN is releasing a DVD edition of the retrospective that has 4 feature-length films and 7 shorts.