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CULTURE

In-person Berlin film fest stands up to pandemic and streaming

The 72nd Berlin film festival opens Thursday, bucking a trend of pandemic on-the-couch streaming with a packed programme of live premieres featuring a stable of European screen legends.

A golden and a silver Berlinale Bear trophy are pictured at the Noack foundry in Berlin
A golden and a silver Berlinale Bear trophy of the upcoming International Film Festival Berlinale are pictured at the Noack foundry in Berlin, on January 25, 2022. (Photo by Hannibal Hanschke / POOL / AFP)

Just as the coronavirus outbreak roars toward its peak in Germany, Berlinale organisers have opted for an 11-day, in-person celebration of new movies and a gala ceremony to award its Golden Bear top prize.

The festival said it was crucial to give cinemas a boost when Covid-19 fears had fuelled home viewing on small screens, and the German government called the “courageous” step of holding the event “a sign of hope”.

“It says: we won’t let corona beat us. We need cinema and culture,” government spokesman Wolfgang Buechner said.

Artistic director Carlo Chatrian said the Berlinale aimed to give weary audiences a break and some inspiration.

“Never before we have seen and welcomed so many love stories as this year — crazy, improbable, unexpected and intoxicating love, which is after all what all encounters are about deep down.”

Nick Cave, conflict zones
In competition are 18 films from around the world from hot young auteurs and cinema veterans — including seven directed by women. More than 200 other pictures are showing in sidebar sections.

A jury led by Indian-born American director M. Night Shyamalan (“The Sixth Sense”) will pick the winners.

The line-up includes new movies from French directors Francois Ozon and Claire Denis, “Carol” screenwriter Phyllis Nagy and Italy’s Paolo Taviani, a previous winner and at 90 the oldest award contender.

Italian horror master Dario Argento will show his first new picture in a decade — “Dark Glasses”, starring his daughter Asia Argento.

Autograph seekers will be banned from the red carpet but stars including Emma Thompson, Sigourney Weaver, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Juliette Binoche, Isabelle Huppert and Mark Rylance have been invited to present their latest films.

Huppert will also pick up a Golden Bear for lifetime achievement.

South Korean festival favourite Hong Sang-soo will unveil “The Novelist’s Film” and Li Ruijun, part of a new generation of Chinese arthouse directors, will show his village romance “Return to Dust”.

In keeping with its tradition as the most politically minded of the big festivals, the Berlinale will turn the spotlight on conflict zones including South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Myanmar and eastern Ukraine, with a slew of new documentaries.

Plus “This Much I Know To Be True” will show how Australian rocker Nick Cave stayed creative under lockdown.

‘Extra sausage’ 
The Berlinale ranks among Europe’s top festivals alongside Cannes and Venice, which also went live last year but during ebbs in the pandemic.

The recent Sundance and Rotterdam festivals were forced by Covid to go entirely virtual and many expected Berlin to follow suit.

But after an all-online festival last March, followed by outdoor screenings in the summer, the Berlinale worked with authorities to develop crowd safety measures.

The decision has caused controversy, with local media asking how organisers could justify it while the virus has closed hundreds of creches and hospitals strain under the outbreak.

The B.Z. tabloid said the festival seemed to be getting “extra sausage” — German for special treatment — while public broadcaster RBB called it “delusional” and newspaper Tagesspiegel warned: “The virus will be pleased”.

Industry insiders noted that the festival’s requirements on vaccination, daily testing and reduced capacity marked a valiant effort but wondered if it was all worth it.

“Berlin is quite well organised. The safety measures are top notch so if anyone could pull it off successfully and safely, they can,” Scott Roxborough, Europe bureau chief for The Hollywood Reporter, told AFP.

“But it’s a question as to whether it was necessary or sensible to do it.”

He said Berlin, as the first major global cinema showcase of the year, was trying to live up to a responsibility to promote daring new movies against the odds.

“There’s been a massive success of the latest ‘Spiderman’ — one of the most successful films of all time now — despite the pandemic,” he said.

He said independent films, by contrast, had suffered.

“I think that’s making the industry very concerned about the future,” Roxborough said.

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EVENTS

Six fascinating events to dive into spring in Germany

Forsythia flowers are in full bloom and April is loaded with events to celebrate the warmer weather and sunshine to come. Here are some of our top picks.

Six fascinating events to dive into spring in Germany

Spring Festivals across Germany 

Starting around Easter weekend, Germany’s myriad spring festivals bring bright colours and beer-fueled revelry to cities around the country. 

Spring festivals come by many names in Germany – there’s the clearly named Frühlingsfest (spring fest) such as in Munich, or the Volksfest (people’s festival) like in Nuremberg, and then there are uniquely named local variations like Frankfurt’s Dippemess. But they all offer carnival rides, abundant food and drink, and an opportunity to see how German’s let loose – think Oktoberfest, but with a palpable spring theme.

This year both Dippemass in Frankfurt and Volksfest in Nuremberg begin in late March and continue until April 14th.

Munich’s Frühlingsfest will run from April 19th to May 5th. Stuttgart’s spring festival is on from April 20th to May 12th.

Readers in the north of the country may want to try Hamburg’s DOM running until April 21st this year.

Cherry blossom gazing

Delicate white and pink blossoms that appear only for a couple weeks in April, cherry blossoms are both a symbol of spring and object of fascination around the world, from the furthest reaches of East Asia to right here in Germany.

The early onset of warmer temperatures in Germany this year is causing cherry trees to bloom earlier than usual, but there should still be some blossoms on the trees during the previously scheduled cherry blossom festivals that take place in many German cities.

READ ALSO: Seven signs that spring has arrived in Germany

The city of Bonn’s old town, with its cherry tree covered streets, has become the go to spot for blossom gazing and photography in Germany. Early to mid-April tends to be the best time to visit, and this year the blossom-adorned streets will be closed to cars for three weekends starting from April 13th.

But if you don’t live close to Bonn you can find several locations around Germany where cherry blossoms are in full bloom here.

cherry blossoms Bonn

Tourists stroll under blossoming cherry trees in Bonn’s old town. In the narrow streets of the old town, blossoming trees form a pink canopy in April. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Thomas Banneyer

Music festivals begin

While the majority of Germany’s bigger music festivals are held in summer, there are quite a few in spring – with a few noteworthy music fests even happening in the coming month.

For fans of metal music, the 19th iteration of Ragnarök Festival will be held at Stadthalle Lichtenfels on April 4th to the 6th this year.

For something a little softer, Polimagie Festival in Dresden features indie, rock and pop artists from Germany, the UK, and Europe – from April 17th to 21st.

Alternatively, jazz and big band lovers are encouraged to check out the fourth Jazz Festival of the Deutsche Oper in Berlin. Several concerts will take place from the 17th to 22nd. Single tickets are around €20, and are found here.

International Women’s Film Fest in Dortmund and Cologne: April 16th to 21st

Germany’s largest forum for women in the film industry, the “Frauen Film Festaims to “strengthen the influence of women in all trades of the cinema industry: first and foremost directors, but also cinematographers, producers, screenwriters, composers, actors and more.”

It’s also an opportunity to see one of 95 films from 40 countries. Choose from screenings of short film collections or feature length films from debuting including those entered in the International Debut Feature Film Competition.

There are also workshops and discussions that allow attendees to meet some of the women behind the films.

Find more information here.

Gallery Weekend Berlin – April 26th to 28th

Since 2005, Berlin galleries have presented exhibitions by emerging and established artists during this three day event. 

The last gallery weekend included performances, screenings, sound pieces, readings, and installations. This year 55 galleries spread across Berlin’s central neighbourhoods will participate.

According to the event organisers, a handful of exciting new galleries will join the event this year including: Galerie Molitor, Noah Klink Galerie, Schiefe Zähne, Sweetwater and Heidi.

More information can be found at Gallery Weekend Berlin’s website.

witches stare each other down

On Walpurgis Nacht, people in witch and devil costumes storm the town hall in Wernigerode. The traditional Walpurgis festival is celebrated throughout the Harz Mountains. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Matthias Bein
 

Walpurgis Nacht

The origins of Walpurgis Night date back 1,000 years to pagan traditions in Germany, and is celebrated on the night of April 30th each year. 

St. Walpurgis was honoured with a feast day on May 1st, and people gathered to dance the night before. It’s also considered to be the time when witches gather. The name “Walpurgis Nacht” was popularised by Goethe’s Faust in 1808.

Smaller villages in some regions in Germany, like the Harz mountains, celebrate Walpurgis Nacht with festivals. Bad Grund, for example, hosts festivities including open air theatre and dancing. 

Walpurgis related celebrations can also be found in Germany’s bigger cities, such as Peaceful Walpurgis Night which is hosted in Berlin’s Mauerpark each year.

READ ALSO: Are you ready for Walpurgisnacht, Germany’s night of witches?

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