Film screening at the Eibenhof culture barn followed by a lecture (20-minute break)

Moderation: Volker Schlöndorff

„Filmstunde_23 (Cinema Sneak Preview)

„As long as film is not taught in schools, we are ignoring the most important revolution in human education.“ (Béla Balázs)

In 1968, Edgar Reitz conducted project-based film classes in his daughter's 8th-grade class at the Luisengymnasium in Munich, which was documented by the Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation. The instruction comprised 16 school hours during which the students developed film themes under Reitz's guidance and acquired technical knowledge.

When talking to a former student about the project, it turned out that the female classmates still meet regularly to this day and nurture their shared passion for film. As a result, Reitz searched archives for the Super 8 films shot back then, had them digitized, and presented them at a class reunion in Munich. „Filmstunde_23“ reflects Reitz's commitment to film education as a school subject, especially in view of the cinematic illiteracy of young generations in today's media landscape.

Followed by a Q&A with director Jörg Adolph.

20 minute break

Lecture by neuroscientist and author Prof. Dr. Joachim Bauer:

„I feel what you feel, I am what you are: Reflection and Identification in Cinema. A Neuroscientific Perspective“

Humans are resonance chambers. Our neuronal equipment „reads“ the signals emitted by fellow humans (or by representations of fellow humans) and reproduces the „read“ emotional contents within ourselves (Joachim Bauer: Why I Feel What You Feel. Heyne Verlag). The film plays upon the neuronal mechanism of so-called mirror neurons. To that extent, it can serve as empathy training, but it can also be used manipulatively or for unethical purposes. Will we experience a world of fakes and a new seduction of the masses on an unprecedented scale? One longs for intellect and reason and thinks of Brecht's „Epic Theater.“ Can there be something like „Epic Cinema“?

In addition, our traditional festival talk will take place on Sunday, Sep 15, 2024, in which Prof. Dr. Joachim Bauer will discuss the topic of Artificial Intelligence with Gero von Boehm. How does Artificial Intelligence influence our capacity for empathy?