German

Plot Synopsis
This is a stripped down (but still excellent) version of “The Brothers Karamazov.” Young Dimitri Karamasoff, on leave from the army, returns home to ask his father for money to get married. When he arrives he finds that his father has become smitten with a young woman of extremely questionable character named Gruschenka. His father gruffly rebuffs Dimitri’s request for money. Dimitri immediately seeks out his fathers lover to demand that she break off the engagement. Things get a bit more complicated when his anger towards her turns to infatuation – and eventually obsession. Dimitri and his father are both mad for Gruschenka, but she doesn’t want anything from either of them – except their money. Things come to a head when the old man is found murdered. Did Dimitri really commit patricide? Or is there more to the story?Read More »

Der Riese (The Giant), 1983
by Harun Farocki

[Harun Farocki gave the following introduction at a screening of Michael Klier’s Der Riese as part of the #VIDEOTAPES series at the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein in January 2014. Special thanks to the N.B.K. for their permission to reproduce the following text for ERC’s screening of Der Riese on April 29th, 2015 at the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz. Translated by Fjoder Donderer. Edited by Ekrem Serdar and Jennifer Stob.]Read More »

A drama set in Cologne’s revolutionary circles of the late 1960s.
Quote:
Die in der außerparlamentarischen Opposition aktive Studentin Anka hat vonfolgenlosen Diskussionen die Nase voll.

Da sie nicht mehr daran glaubt, mit Worten allein die Welt verändern zu können, plant sie eine militante Aktion: Aus Protest gegen den Vietnam-Krieg deponiert sie eine Bombe in einem Kölner Kaufhaus, um die Öffentlichkeit zur Auseinandersetzung zu zwingen.Read More »

Quote:
Ever-provocative and prolific Rosa von Praunheim takes on uniform fetishes, extreme-right skinheads, gays in the original Nazi leadership, and more in his latest docu, “Men, Heroes and Gay Nazis” somehow weaving it all together into a compelling look at the appeal of fascism — even to those who are its frequent victims. Beyond gay-fest travel, feature could score select offshore telecast and DVD deals.Read More »

This German documentary explores the history of hustler culture at Bahnhof Zoo train station, an unofficial meeting place for male prostitutes from the world over. The film discusses hustler world with male escorts both current and retired about their personal experiences, and discovers surprising undercurrents of strength and compassion. ~ Cammila CollarRead More »

Film extras take possession of a bogus film production company and acting as ideal world of film to persuade one associates mother-in-law of marriage.

Starring some of RWF’s familiar cast and himself in an uncredited mini-role.Read More »

Prinzessinnenbad
Director: Bettina Blümner

Seit ihrer Kindheit kennen sich die nun 15-jährigen und lebenshungrigen Mädchen Klara, Mina und Tanutscha. Seit je gehen sie auf die gleichen Partys, stehen auf die gleichen Jungs und entspannen im Prinzenbad. An der Schwelle zum Erwachsenwerden sind sie nun auf der Suche nach ihrem eigenen Weg. Auf Schule hat Klara, die gelegentlich stiehlt, keine Lust mehr; sie träumt von einer Karriere, wahlweise als Pornostar oder Tierpflegerin. Mina begeht gerade das zehnmonatige Jubiläum mit ihrem Freund, Tanutscha paukt eifrig für die spätere Selbstverwirklichung.Read More »

Quote:
In a small Austrian village near the Czech border lives Sepp Paur, a widower. The food supply that his late wife stored in the freezer is running low. It is time for Sepp to look for another wife. He looks across the border, where the widow Paula lives. Two people, two neighboring villages. In between? The border. The film is about all these, but not only. It’s also about the loss of borders, the loss of home, the loss of youth, the loss of love.Read More »

Quote:
The latest film by Hartmut Bitomsky is, just like much of his early work, a original film essay about film and film history. Just as in earlier films, he makes inventive use of the potential offered by the medium video to analyse films.The history of the UFA is the story of a risky financial venture in the twenties and a propaganda instrument in the thirties. Bitomsky’s approach stands out because he involvesthis social and political context in investigating and dissecting films.Read More »