WORKSHOPS/ SCHOOL CINEMA 2018

In 2018, we once again invited around 160 pupils from the Oder-Spree district to school cinema events as part of the FILM OHNE GRENZEN festival. The film based on the book of the same name was shown „The silent classroom“ by Lars Kraume. Following the screenings, the pupils were able to watch Discussions with the contemporary witness Karsten Köhler Edit your impressions.

Workshops:

In the July organized FILM OHNE GRENZEN the first two-week film workshop this year. In the Caritas shared accommodation in Bad Saarow, refugees and young adults from the local soccer club were given the opportunity to produce a biographically motivated collage film with self-produced music and sound as part of the workshop. Together, the participants searched for their stories, their observations in the accommodation and the place around them, as well as their dreams. What images describe the past, the present and the possible future? Photos and films from their cell phones, their own texts, comics and songs could become documents that set a narrative in motion. The project „Erzähl wie ich es möchte“ is intended to overcome language barriers, it trusts in the universal language of images and sounds. The premiere of the film was celebrated in September at the FILM OHNE GRENZEN festival in the presence of the participants and workshop leaders. The workshop took place in two modules: the first with the artist duo Anna Faroqhi and Haim Perez as workshop leaders and mentors and the second with the composer and pianist Eunice Martins and the composer Laura Mello. This second module was about setting the filmed material to music.

Another workshop took place during the festival week in cooperation with Maxim Gorki Oberschule. Led by trainers from the company IntoVR the young people from Brandenburg produced a 360° film together with the refugee students from Syria, Afghanistan, Iran and Serbia. The students developed the concept, the shooting schedule and the storyboard. The film „Our Bad Saarow“ was presented on virtual reality glasses at the opening evening of the FILM WITHOUT BORDERS festival.

Throughout the evening, not only the participants and their parents were able to watch the 360° film on VR glasses, but also visitors to the festival.

„Working with the young people was an intense experience. 16 high school students, 15-16 years old, from very different backgrounds, some of whom had only been in Germany for two years. It was a real challenge, but we were able to really inspire them with the medium and quickly saw how much they got involved, tried things out, even in front of the camera, even interviewed the mayor and developed ideas. Over the four days, the students really grew on me, and above all they grew themselves. It's a great feeling to watch,“ says Christiane Wittenbecher from IntoVR about the project.

We would like to thank the contributors and all those who make these social projects possible with their support.