What a Difference the Archivist Makes
by Marinell Haegelin

This year I decided to include at least two selections from the wide array of special programs Kurzfilm Festival (KFF) offers every year. Choosing from the Gegenwart (present) section, I saw one program from Labor (Laboratory) and one from Archiv (Archive). The subsumption of different principles within the lenses of the past century, approximately in the same time eras, gave me a feeling of anticipatory eagerness. Boy, was I ever premature… but I get ahead of myself.

In KFF’s program Laboratory of the Present is “…a place for reflection on societal, social, and cinephile questions.” While Archive of the Present is, “Treasures discovered within (historical documents/records) can shed new light on the present. Inside their walls a perpetual gathering for the future takes place.”

Archive of the Present: ARCHIV 1: NEU-LAND (NEW LAND)—New Beginnings and Belonging in Three Post-War Educational Films. The FWU (Institute für Film und Bild in Wissenschaft und Unterricht [Institute for Film and Image in Science and Education]), established in modern Germany’s 1950s, was the genesis of state-funded educational materials. There were immeasurable numbers of educational films integral to the citizenry for decades. Many early 16mm films in media centers are lost to the wind by technological advances, private collectors’ acquisition, and beaucoup of cartons were giveaways or destroyed. The Federal Archive and cinematheques do contain remnants and, purportedly, countless thousands still exist albeit whereabouts unknown.

The program consisted of three educational films by German filmmakers—under British mandate—directly after World War ll—it was even highlighted in KFF’s Newsletter—Day 3: Say Hi to the Future. The programmers, Stephan Ahrens and guest Peter Hoffmann’s lengthy introduction spoke about their choices being difficult considering the many films, topics, and context. Additional considerations was 16mm film’s high cost then, and the competence and stability of camerapeople. Twenty minutes later the first film began.

NEUZEITLICHE MOORKULTIVIERUNG (MODERN BOG CULTIVATION)
Dr. Willi Mohaupt, 1947

Peat bogs in Friesland (Lower Saxony) are drained and cleared, much of the work done by hand, plus “mechanical innovations” (that are now antiquated). Of peats various usages, one is drying it and sending railcars full to a Kraftwerk (generating plant). There the turf is burned for electricity, with leftover heat used in greenhouses—the one filmed is huge, overflowing with fruits, vegetables and employees dressed for the tropics, nevertheless sweating. The film was absorbing and informative; once land is drained it was farmed, houses were built, and communities established. The camerawork was good, if not preoccupied with the “mechanical innovations” rather than the human-interest aspect. I wonder why…

Speaking from notes about the next film, Hoffman and Ahrens’s lack of succinctness and focus hinted at unpreparedness that begat repetition. Yet they droned on giving the impression they had never done this before. Finally, the second film was shown.

ASYLRECHT – BERICHT ÜBER DIE FLÜCHTLINGSLAGE (ASYLUM LAW—REPORT ON THE REFUGEE SITUATION)
Rudolf Werner Kipp, 1949

Displaced persons from past-held German territories in Eastern Europe pour into the British occupied zone where hundreds of camps exist in 1949. Each setting emphasize the contrasting circumstances for the refugees. The biggest setback for most was the lack of a residence permit. Although interesting with good camerawork, eventually the humanistic and demeaning societal conditions, the abject movement among zones, and ever-changing interchangeable shelters dissolve and blur into visual monotony. The British Mandate Administration were assuredly satisfied with the commissioned film, but honestly, it’s hard to know why they chose this film other than for its (topic) rarity.

Afterward, Hoffman told Ahrens the next program wasn’t until 19:30; as it was only 18:30, you could almost see them rubbing their hands in glee. Hence, they started rambling and reading notes about British film. The third film, a talkie about integration with “children as heroes” and filmed in 1952 offered a contrast I looked forward to seeing.

They told us they weren’t Pädagogen (schoolteachers), but Hoffman and Ahrens were undoubtedly pedantic. Because of their love for their material, (presumed) lack of presentation experience, and unmindfulness for audiences’ time constraints, some of us missed the third film, UNSERE STRASSE (OUR STREET), 1952, 32:00, B/W, German—a colleague said it was the best. Based on that experience, I almost forsook the Labor program I’d chosen, which would have been a pity since the difference was like night and day.

Laboratory of the Present: LAB 5: RIPPLES IN THE PON

“Four filmmakers offer different perspectives about the global south, and people coming together to resist various forms of oppression: the occupation of Palestine, forced displacement in South Africa, a brutal repression of protests in Syria, and a call for civilian rule in Sudan.”

During his short introduction curator Rabih El-Khoury succinctly encapsulated how the films related to the program’s theme, solidarity and resistance. Lights went down, and the first film lit up the screen drawing viewers in, then flowing from one film to the other. Obviously El-Khoury spent time in his selections and presentation to enhance viewers’ awareness and, perhaps, save time for the Q&A afterward. The only thingS missing were intertitle cards with the next film’s title.

WHAT THE SOIL REMEMBERS
José Cardoso, Ecuador, South Africa, 2023

Guiding the filmmaker is the elders’ memories leading back to the time when a close, peaceful, healthy community was unceremoniously uprooted so an educational institution for whites could be built. Soldiers began at the mosque knowing that’s where everyone gathered. Archival footage, with a red-tinted screen, shows the traumatic, demeaning ordeal that adds context. (They) “… took us out of our neighborhoods, our memories;” then land was torn apart, structures sprung up. These senior figures’ “collected wisdom” concern Apartheid, Apartheid’s leaders Jan Smuts, BJ Vorster, P. W. Botha, and Hendrik Verwoerd, and now it’s time they give back. They speak tenaciously about academia/protests, the wealthy, university pomp, and how the university’s capability of doing more, gradually and carefully because they are purposeful people. “Nature is older, it’s human intelligence that fails.”

LES FEMMES PALESTINIENNES (PALESTINIAN WOMEN)
Jocelyn Saab, France, 1974

Palestinian women are militants. They talk frankly, volunteering insiders’ insight re: 1948 when Israel was established; 1967 and the Six-Day War. Realities, and being refugees (in their own land). The UN’s involvement, university studies, and how upper classes still believe in a political solution. Palestinian women believe their best chance is to fight. They speak about captured members of the PLO being beaten by Israeli forces and made to lick toilets. Flute music poignantly underscores the spoken disparities in people’s treatment.

سُُ لََ ي م ى (SULEIMA)
Jalal Maghout, Syria, 2014

The story is personal, the animation style’s distinctive and a gritty, a graphic blending of real/imagined contrasts. The Damascus born Suleima reminisces how during a peaceful demonstration thugs intervened. Participating in Syrian’s resistance to its de facto dictatorship since childhood, she abhors injustices, “I hate (Bashar) al-Assad.” The Syrian secret police, oppression, women’s suffering… for many women within their marriage. Suleima’s daughter went with the father, and she’s detested by some in her family; twice imprisoned—every twelve hours there’s a toilet break—Suleima’s “no longer afraid.” Over the years she’s adjusted, come to terms with the changing societal and cultural shifts with pragmatism, intellectually, and inclusively. This is an eye-opening documentary.

قناة فجأة (SUDDENLY TV)
Roopa Gogineni, Sudan, Qatar, 2022

In April 2019, outside the Khartoum military headquarters a massive throng of peaceful protesters are staked out at a sit-in for civilian govern and democracy following the coup d’état against President Omar al-Bashir. A particularly clever, creative few establish an imaginary television station. Its news team, with a camera carved out of a box and a plastic water bottle microphone, cover the demonstration. One-on-one interviews, extensive B-roll for background material, e.g., showing people’s spirit of independence and hope. Hearteningly, protesters embrace the reality of this group’s imaginary. The atmosphere turns on a dime when military special forces arrive and besiege the area firing real bullets. June 3, 2019: the demonstrators’ television station unwittingly covered what’s become the Khartoum massacre with 120 dead, hundreds missing, rape, detention. Quite a scoop. That’s caught on trailing real camera(s).

The program presented a really good choice of films with divergent focus points and styles of execution, yet thematically similar. El-Khoury’s presentation and delivery, combined with the distinctly different good films about solidarity and resistance for European audiences’ exposure was a program well worth experiencing.