Cinema’s 130th Anniversary: "Die Gebrüder Skladanowsky (A Trick of the Light)"

Although Max and Emil Skladanowsky are not considered the true inventors of cinema—that honor belongs to another pair of brothers, the Lumière brothers, who were operating in France at the same time—they were nonetheless significant pioneers of moving images who would profoundly change the world.

Like no other director in Germany, Wim Wenders has repeatedly woven his love of cinema and film history into his films, through quotations, texts, and stories. For example, in Lisbon Story, he tells the story of a sound effects artist, and in the road movie Kings of the Road, he tells the story of someone who saves cinemas by repairing projectors. Thirty years ago, to mark the 100th anniversary, Wim Wenders created his cinematic homage, *The Skladanowsky Brothers*. Together with students from the University of Television and Film Munich, Wenders filmed the movie using an old hand-cranked camera in true slapstick style.

As a short film, they will show the original footage from 1895. On November 1st, photographer and showman Max Skladanowsky presented the "Bioskop," a projector he developed with his brother Emil, at the Wintergarten variety theater near Friedrichstrasse station in Berlin. With their projector, they projected short film strips onto a screen for the first time in Germany, to an enthusiastic audience.

To conclude the anniversary year, they want to celebrate the achievements of the Skladanowsky film pioneers with a special cinematic experience. They will present the German premiere of the 4K restored version of Wim Wenders' film. French composer Laurent Petitgand, who has written the music for ten of Wenders' films, will accompany the film live with several instruments and vocals.

The event is being held in cooperation with the DFF – German Film Institute and Film Museum, Frankfurt, the Wim Wenders Foundation, Düsseldorf/Berlin, and with the kind support of the Rainer Werner Fassbinder Foundation and the Federal Archives.


With Anh-Linh Ngo (Vice President of the Academy of Arts), Christine Kopf (Artistic Director of the DFF), Wim Wenders, former students of the Munich Film School (HFF München), Laurent Petitgand (composer and musical accompaniment), and Knut Elstermann (moderator)


The Skladanowsky Brothers (Germany 1996, 80 min.)
Director/Writer: Wim Wenders with students of the Munich Film School (including Florian Gallenberger, Veit Helmer, Germán Kral, and Barbara Rohm), Cast: Udo Kier, Christoph Merg, and Rüdiger Vogler)


A silent film with dialogue and musical accompaniment by Laurent Petitgand

Introduction: Wim Wenders

Discussion: Wim Wenders, Veit Helmer, Florian Gallenberger, Moderator: Knut Elstermann


Short film: The Skladanowsky Brothers' Winter Garden Program (1895), 6:33 Min.

• Languages: German, English, Original version with English subtitles