June Program June 25–28, 2009

İstanbul Modern Cinema, in collaboration with Goethe-Institut Istanbul, presents a selection of German films premiered in the last one year.

The selection of 8 films which were first seen by critics and viewers in festivals like Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Toronto, and Sundance, is much ironically titled “Everything’s OK”. Because what almost all films in the program have in common, whether they reflect on the past or on today, whether they tell a personal or a universal story, is that they draw attention to things which are not so OK.

CLOUD 9
Director: Andreas Dresen
98’, Colour, 2008

Inge meets Karl and falls head over heels in love with him. She leaves her husband Werner after 30 years just to be with Karl. This could well be a love story like all the others, if the people involved weren’t over 60 years, even 70 years old. A striking film shot without a written script, and dialogues were improvised by the actors.

ANONYMA – A WOMAN IN BERLIN
Director: Max Färberböck
131’, Colour, 2008

Berlin, April 1945. Last days of the war. A group of people, who took refuge in the basement of a half destroyed house, is waiting. They had eluded the night bombardments, and artillery fire. They are mostly women, and they are trying to predict their destiny. The Red Army will enter Berlin anytime. Färberböck’s film is based upon the memoirs of a female writer who remained anonymous until her death.

JERICHOW
Director: Christian Petzold
93’, Colour, 2008

Jerichow is a village in the northeast of Germany. The neighbourhood is poor, and there is almost no job opportunity. Three lost characters come together by a coincidence which could be called destiny. Christian Petzold’s Jerichow tells a story which takes place between three people. In this film, aspirations die out forever in other and deeper dreams.

DORFPUNKS
Director: Lars Jessen
93’, Colour, 2009

The village of Schmalenstadt on the shores of the Baltic Sea. Summer of 1984. 17 year old Malte Ahrens who calls herself “Roddy Dangerblood” is living in a farm house with her old leftist parents, and she is training in pottery. She meets with “punk” movement a little too late in her small village. After becoming friends with their neighbours’ son Schwaster, she explores her own definition of punk and at the same time her freedom.

LIGHT GRADIENT
Director: Jan Krüger
75’, Colour, 2009

Johann and Robin are two young men who go out on a trip in the countryside. As they enter deep in the forests of Brandenburg, their adventure becomes weirder. A journey searching for the reality in the script, epic moments in real nature, and the artlessness of a homosexual relationship outside of city life.

SOMETIME IN AUGUST
Director: Sebastian Schipper
90’, Colour, 2009

Thomas and Hanna arrive in their new country house where they are supposed to spend the summer together. They are madly in love with each other and very happy. But quite unexpectedly, Thomas’ brother Friedrich announces that he is joining them. He was abandoned by his wife and child. At first, Hanna finds Friedrich’s reticence hard to cope with, but in time she starts to like his dependability, and his sense of responsibility.

THE HEART IS A DARK FOREST
Director: Nicolette Krebitz
83’, Colour, 2007

Marie learns by chance that her husband is leading a secret life besides their family life. There is another woman in her husband Thomas’ life, and they have a son together. Marie wants to confirm her suspicion, and chases Thomas furtively in a masquerade. Will she be able to cope with this new fact?

LULU & JIMI
Director: Oskar Roehler
95’, Colour, 2008

Lulu, the daughter of a bankrupted industrialist, falls in love with the handsome and indigent negro Jimi. Lulu’s family and the conservatives of the town experience a full-blown shock, and do all in their power to tear the two lovers apart. In this film, Oskar Roehler tells a great love story full of pain and happiness, a love story which knows no boundaries.

*FILMS WILL BE SCREENED WITH TURKISH SUBTITLES.

SCREENINGS ARE FREE OF CHARGE FOR THE MUSEUM VISITORS.