With Different Eyes
New Restorations of the Weimar Cinema
The corpus of films from Weimar cinema that are being restored in archives and cinematheques and thus becoming visible again is growing all the time. As testimonies to a breathtaking variety of artistic forms of expression, new themes and role models, these films that have been made accessible again are unique and valuable. With each new restoration, the image of the era gains in plasticity, which is particularly true of the genre cinema of the 1920s, which directors such as Joe May, Richard Eichberg, Carl Lamač and Harry Piel shaped with their adventure films and comedies. Their works are exciting and fast-paced, immersing the viewer much more directly in the entertainment culture of the time than the big prestige films. However, they also confront today's audiences with a form of entertainment that repeatedly draws on ethnic stereotypes and racist practices, discriminates against people and makes fun of them at their expense. This makes it all the more necessary to discuss the films, criticise the trivialisation of racist practices and explain the contexts of their creation and reception. To this end, we are inviting experts from research and civil society and framing the screening of the films with introductions as well as expert and audience discussions. (Philipp Stiasny)
