Read here, why the jury chose “Turbodiesel” and “I am Simon” as first and second winners and why “Berlun” received an honourable mention.

The audience chose “Leerfahrt” as their favourite film.

Winner

“Turbodiesel” (Vojtech Moravec, Czech Republic)

When we watched “Turbodiesel”, we were uncertain whether we were watching a particularly interesting documentary or a skilfully produced fake-documentary. And we still wonder.

The film’s storyline is simply too hard to believe. There is a man who seven years ago decided not to leave his car anymore. Literally. He doesn’t even know whether his legs would still carry him if he were to step out. As members of the jury, all four of us reacted very differently to the protagonist. One of us felt angry about the man’s refusal to be an active part of society. One was fascinated by his radicalism, and by the fact that he proves to us that we live in a world in which never leaving your driving nutshell is a viable option. Another one was intrigued by the absurdity of interpreting “freedom” as physical isolation, and by the proclaimed happiness to be found in this. The fourth one focused on the contradiction inherent in a situation in which a person refuses to comply with basic social expectations, yet at the same time remains an active member of our working, driving, capitalist community. Given these different readings, we shared the feeling that this man is really “in between”. One wouldn’t expect him to be happy, but he tells us the opposite. He hides from society but still depends on it. He lives his own version of freedom and at the same time radically restrains himself. Irrespective of our different perceptions, we were all touched by this film, and found that in our discussion we returned to it over and over again. Congratulations.

Second winner

“I am Simon” (Tünde Molnár, Hungary)

Tünde Molnar’s graphic novel recounts the life and death of the dog Simon. Its rich and melancholic images capture a moment of transition in which time seems to come to a standstill. At the same time, they speak of an intense love of life, and of a desire to run faster than death in order to outwit time through speed. While this may end fatally, there is consolation in viewing the continuation of beginnings and ends through the dead dog’s eyes.

With its poetic imagery and reduced text, “I am Simon” succeeds in conveying the notion of a span of life in admirable brevity. There is no distinction between joy and sorrow, the two are inseparable. And this is the film’s extraordinary achievement: with great skill it succeeds in tapping the full potential of animation in order to turn a dog’s life into an utterly and existentially human experience.

Honourable mention and special award

“Berlun” (Ezgi Kilincaslan, Turkey/Germany)

In Berlun, Ezgi Kilincaslan creates a poetic visual montage by cross-dissolving and layering over 250 still photos. Snap shots and self portraits of the artist are the basis for a dense reflection on the fragile shifts between language and translations. Cultural projections on a gendered identity are subverted with a playful twist on the subtitles, asserting a subtle, yet empowered political gesture.

Audience award

“Leerfahrt” (Matis Burkhardt, Germany)

Thanks to all the people who came to Stattbad on Friday and Saturday. Thanks to all the artists. Thanks to the Jury. Thanks to the team. We loved this festival and it was worth every second of preparation.

Now enjoy some images from the weekend, and, if you like to, tell us how you feel about EMERGEANDSEE 2010.

Anna Luise Lorenz - Apparatur zur Rekonstruktion von Heima

Zu ihrer Premiere  zum 10. Jubiläum von EMERGEANDSEE geht die Ausstellung Hybrid Metropolis – in between spaces mit  über 20 künstlerischen Positionen den Fragen von Raum und Identitätskonstruktionen nach.  Verschiedenste Arbeiten aus den Bereichen Fotografie, Videokunst,  Skulptur, Performance,  Installation und  Audiokunst nähern sich 3 Tage lang dieser Thematik.

So hinterfragt die Projektion „This is a public space“ von Bill Balaskas die Existenz von öffentlichen Räumen während  uns  Lemeh42  mit seiner Arbeit „Possible Cities“  in verschiedene mögliche Stadtentwürfe mit nimmt.
Anna-Louise Lorenz unternimmt mit ihrer „Heimatmaschine“  erstmalig den Versuch das Konstrukt „Heimat“  zu konservieren während  Rodrigo Sigal die  Besucher im Rahmen des Soundkinos in die Klangwelt Mexikos entführt. Zudem wird „die Lichtmaschine“ des Niedervolthoudini Collecitives  in Interaktion mit den Besuchern eine gesamte ehemalige Umkleidekabine des Stattbads in neues Licht tauchen.

Eröffnet wird die Ausstellung am Freitag den 18.06.2010 um 21:00h  mit der Performance  3×3x3 von Phillip Hohenwater, Mattias Maercks und Brandon Rosenbluth, die unsere Raumwahrnehmung in Frage stellen wird. Im Anschluss daran präseniert das Sound8 Orchestra das Beste aus Retrofuturistischen B-Movie Soundtracks, untermalt mit Super8 Visuals, im ehemaligen Pool des Stattbads.

Sound8Orchestra

To get yourself into the right swinging mood for a night of party at the Stattbad, have a look at our lovely bands and DJs:

On Friday you can listen to the folky tunes of Sarsaparilla…
http://www.myspace.com/sarsaparillamusic

… then hear the Sound 8 Orchestra (electro/pop/trash) perform while watching their super 8 mm film screenings…
http://www.myspace.com/sound8orchestra

… and for the rest of the night, swing your hips to the sound of DJ KURZ!

On Saturday, make sure to take a look at Nova Fliegt Zum Mond who will perform live for you…and dance all night to the beats of our DJs WeAreYourFriends, and Florida and Metronom.

Confusing? Just have another look at our festival schedule and full programme.

The guys at Formzoo did a great job designing our programme this year – thank you!

Anna Brüggemann, actress and author

Nurkan Erpulat, director and author

Frederic Schroeder, media scientist

Sylvia Schedelbauer, film-maker

The Stadtbad Wedding was closed for swimmers in the year 2001. During the last years, it established itself as Stattbad, a place for culture and arts in the lively Berlin Wedding neighborhood. You gotta love the whole place, it’s extremely exciting to walk around in the pool or through the old-fashioned changing rooms – that are now a gallery.

If you would like to present your work in these extraordinal surroundings, check out our calls for participation.

Assemblages is an audiovisual research project about Félix Guattari and his revolutionary psychiatric practice, his political activism as well as his ideas concerning ecosophy and his interest in animism especially in the Brazilian and Japanese context.
Details

The installation, a coproduction with Maurizio Lazzarato, will be shown at the Akademie der Künste, Berlin (Opening February 10). Angela Melitopoulos will also take part in a panel on “Performing, Rambling, Thinking” at Forum Expanded Talk on February 17.