The streets lie empty, enveloped in silence. Above the seemingly lifeless city, the sun ascends, signaling the start of a new day. Hours later, as the sun sets, the city bids goodnight, its windows shuttered.
These settings in underrepresented areas such as provinces, suburbs, and micro cities in Germany serve as a unique backdrop for storytelling, offering insights into different facets of everyday life rarely depicted on screen. This distinct approach to filmmaking is crucial for fostering a more inclusive and empathetic society, where all voices are not only heard but also valued, and where the essence of local communities is captured and brought to the forefront.
In this year’s Arthouse Cinema, we aim to shine a spotlight on these areas and stories, providing a platform for filmmakers bold enough to challenge stereotypes and expand our understanding of the world. Whether portraying a small town struggling to preserve its traditions or a suburb grappling with the effects of gentrification, these stories offer a multifaceted representation of the human experience. Through the lens of cinema, audiences can immerse themselves in the lives of characters who may not typically be featured in mainstream media, shedding light on their struggles and small triumphs.
Arthouse Cinema will commence on April 20, 2024, at the GoetheHaus in Jakarta, featuring two films: Full Metal Village directed by Sung-Hyung Cho and Leif in Concert Vol. 2 directed by Christian Klandt. The 2006 documentary “Full Metal Village” focuses on the inhabitants of a small village in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, Wacken, as they prepare for the annual Wacken Open Air Festival. Directed by Cho Sung-Hyung and tagged as "Ein Heimatfilm", the film delves into the unique dynamic between the 1,800 villagers and the 70,000 metal music fans who flock to the concert each year. As if two worlds unexplainably meet, elderly villagers expressing fears about concertgoers worshipping Satan, while their grandchildren being nothing but enthusiastic to welcome a breath of fresh air that is a weekend of headbanging, drinking, and wearing less rigid clothes together with attendees from all over the world.
Leif in Concert Vol. 2 hailed as one of the most successfully launched crowdfunded films, invites audiences into a neighborhood bar (German: Kneipe) led by actor Luise Heyer as Lene. The ensemble cast includes renowned figures in German filmmaking such as director David Wnendt and actors Godehard Giese and Gerdy Zint. Can Lene overcome her fears to take over the bar business, managing tasks from procurement to solving plumbing problems while organizing a concert?
Subsequent screening sessions featuring documentary films will include discussions with Indonesian film critics and experts in the field. We proudly present award-winning German productions: Parchim International (Stefan Eberlein, 2015), Lovemobil (Elke Lehrenkrauss, 2019), and Herr Bachmann und seine Klasse (Maria Speth, 2021). Parchim International delves into the bizarre story of Jonathan Pang, a Chinese businessman aiming to establish a global mega business at an abandoned ex-military airport in Parchim city, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Lovemobil takes viewers to the quiet roads between Gifhorn and Wolfsburg (VW factory) where vans are transformed into rooms for lovers, exploring themes of pain, loss, vulnerability, and mortality.
Deutschlandreise by Wolfgang Ettlich weaves together stories of former East-West German citizens, exploring the personal consequences of the German reunification ("Wende") on their lives. Similarly, Alle reden übers Wetter by Annika Pinske delves into the nuanced societal expectations of modern German women, questioning the persistence of East-West stereotypes and how individuals navigate personal ambition amidst political ideology.
Through these films, we hope to ignite meaningful conversations about the issues that matter to us all.
