Behind the mouse-grey façade, tender little plants of weeds bloom that can no longer be torn up. Wild and boisterous films with a canvas-filling middle finger proliferate underground and meanwhile also climb up to be admired. The list of examples is long, but a few of these bright spots deserve to be mentioned: RAMMBOCK has shown that German zombie cinema is possible even with the involvement of the public broadcasters; HAGAZUSSA is still one of the most ambitious cinematic essays of recent years; SCHNEEFLÖCKCHEN is a party grenade that more than meets international standards...
Maybe they are not peaks peeking out of the swamp of dramas, but even harbingers of a current? All this is possible and calls for an assessment of the situation. That is why we call for an annual discussion.
On the podium take a seat
Dominik Balkow
Even before he graduated from the Kelle Film Academy in Berlin in 2012, Dominik Balkow gained his first experience in the entertainment industry. He worked both in editing and on camera for the music programme "Yagaloo". After studying directing, he remained true to the music scene and directed clips for many bands, including the video for the DONOTS-ANTI FLAG collaboration "Toast to Freedon". The short film O is his third directorial work. He is currently working on his feature film debut APHASIE.
Kevin Kopacka
Kevin Kopacka was born in 1987 in beautiful Graz, where he spent his childhood and youth. At the age of just under 19, he moved to Berlin, where he studied at the University of the Arts and left in 2013 with a Master's degree. At this point, Kopacka was no longer just exploring the play of colours through the photo camera, but was already beginning to make his first short films. DAWN BREAKS BEHIND THE EYES is his second feature-length film. With it, he plays at renowned genre festivals worldwide.
Julian Richberg
Born near Kassel, studied in Berlin. Before Julian Richberg delivered his first feature film in 2020 with ARBORETUM, he produced commercials and music videos. And he made FLATLINER: his first short film, in which he tells the story of a lonely exchange student in Berlin who attends WG castings to get in touch with people. In both films he describes marginal figures in society. It's about friendship and being alone. Big themes that are always topical. Also in Germany.
Lukas Rinker
"Something with media", that could have been the study plan after grammar school. However, Lukas Rinker completed his media design studies in Mainz as a Master's degree, with flying colours! He first attracted attention when he played countless festivals with his short film SIEBEN KÖPFE FÜR DEN HENKER. Commercials, TV work and short films followed as a scriptwriter, editor and also as a director. HOLY SHIT! is Rinker's feature film debut. It could have gone more shitty.
Huan Vu
Born in 1982, the Stuttgart native caused a stir during his studies at the Stuttgart Media University by presenting a very ambitious directorial work with his privately financed Warhammer fan project DAMNATUS. As a lover of H.P. Lovecraft, he took on the film adaptation of the short story THE COLOUR OUT OF SPACE in 2010 - even before Nicolas Cage was bumbling around in the US film version. He is currently working on another Lovecraft adaptation from the Dreamland cycle.
Stefan Young
The moderator of the panel discussion in 2022 will once again be an old acquaintance. Stefan Jung is a long-time friend of the film festival. As a student, he was even a team member of the HARD:LINE film series. Today, the centre of his life is in Dresden, where he works as a film critic, author and research assistant. You know his work from Deadline Film Magazine, via Deep Red Radio and Fluxkompensor. He has also written various booklets for publications, for example the one for POSSESSOR.
Admission to the panel discussion is free of charge
Directly after the screening with Q&A by ARBORETUM and a subsequent short (!) changeover phase, the discussion will get underway. So mark your calendars for the slot from 18:30 to 19:30 on 8 April.
