Helke Misselwitz: Moving East to West Amidst the Sperrmüll

Reflections on Bulky Trash (Helke Misselwitz, 1991) by Elspeth Vischer Reflections on labour and parenting in the final days of the GDR are framed within an interesting dichotomy of music and creative freedom in Helke Misselwitz’s documentary Sperrmüll (Bulky Trash).  In her signature intimate and empathetic style, this film charts a rift in political systems, protests, and young people’s allegiances to the GDR in unexpected … Continue reading Helke Misselwitz: Moving East to West Amidst the Sperrmüll

Around The World in 14 Films: ‘When The Waves Are Gone’, ‘EO’ and ‘Trenque Lauquen’

by Florian Weigl One way to test the cinephile mettle of a country is to go to its most prominent festival of festivals. Canada and Toronto have TIFF, the U.S and New York have NYFF, Austria and Vienna have the Viennale and Germany and Berlin, well, we have Around The World in 14 Films. Founded by Bernhard Karl, Kathrin Bessert and Nikola Mirza in 2005 … Continue reading Around The World in 14 Films: ‘When The Waves Are Gone’, ‘EO’ and ‘Trenque Lauquen’

Exposed Plywood: Lin Tuan-chiu’s ‘The Husband’s Secret’ (1960)

“When Le-hun sobs in the artificial rain, back pressed to a plywood facade, the plainness of the wood’s grain brings the audience closer to the material rather than adding distance: the production and the resulting film seem one in the same, part of an enthusiastic defiance of mass-market cinema in favor of local storytelling.” Continue reading Exposed Plywood: Lin Tuan-chiu’s ‘The Husband’s Secret’ (1960)