PRENZLAUERBERGINALE #9

This makes Prenzlauer Berg probably the only district in Berlin with its own film festival.

Programme:

Opening night (2 September)

The short film Das Blaue vom Himmel (The Blue from the Sky, directed by Matl Findel, 1992) will be shown – a sensual portrait of the post-reunification period. This will be followed by Heiner Carow's Ikarus (DEFA, 1975). The film tells the story of Mathias, an 8-year-old boy who waits in vain for his father on his birthday.

Carow paints a sensitive portrait of a child. The film was shot mainly in Prenzlauer Berg, with music by Bettina Wegner. During the GDR era, it was quickly deemed too critical of socialism and was soon removed from cinemas.



Knut Elstermann and Winsstraße (9 September)

One of the highlights is the Winsstraße evening on 9 September. It will be hosted by Berlin film critic and radio journalist Knut Elstermann. Elstermann has been a leading figure in the Berlin film scene for decades as a film journalist and presenter. He grew up in Winsstraße and dedicated a book to it in 2013.

We will show the film Räume (Petra Tschörtner/Helke Misselwitz), which portrays a family in which the father and sons work for the Berlin garbage collection service. The main film by Helga Reidemeister accompanies photographer Robert Paris, who also grew up in Winsstraße, through East Berlin, which has become foreign to him.


Children, Neighbourhood & End of the War (16 September)

A compilation from the DEFA newsreel Der Augenzeuge (1946–1951) shows post-war scenes in Berlin – school meals, puppet shows, welfare, but also war veterans, the black market and the housing shortage. This is followed by the film Sheriff Teddy (directed by Heiner Carow, 1957), based on the book by Benno Pludra. In it, 13-year-old Kalle moves with his family from Kreuzberg to Prenzlauer Berg. The school scenes were shot in Dunckerstraße (now Heinrich-Schliemann-Gymnasium). Carow authentically captures the everyday life of children in the 1950s.


Art & Work (23 September)

The evening begins with excerpts from Der gordische Knoten (The Gordian Knot, directed by Jochen Kraußer, 1991), a documentary about the theatre group Zinnober in Prenzlauer Berg. Former members such as Iduna Hegen and Uta Schulz are invited to talk. The main film, Sie (directed by Gitta Nickel, 1970), portrays the company doctor Dr Gisela Otto and shows the everyday life of female workers at VEB Treffmodelle. The film links women's issues, family and equality. Guests include filmmaker Grit Lemke and GDR historian Anna Kaminsky.

Further information

The 9th Prenzlauerberginale will take place at the Filmtheater am Friedrichshain. The individual dates (2, 9, 16 and 23 September 2025) are available online.

The evenings will be moderated by journalist Elise Landschek, Annette Schuhmann from ZZF Potsdam and Knut Elstermann from rbb.

Guests include media historians, journalists, historians, artists and lots of residents of the Winsviertel neighbourhood of all genders.

Prenzlauerberginale

• 2, 9, 16 and 23 September 2025
  
• Filmtheater am Friedrichshain
  

(Language: German)