Erzählungen eines Kinogehers – Werner Dütsch

Werner Dütsch (1939–2018) sits at a wooden table in front of a large window, surrounded by various objects, and speaks about his long relationship with cinema. The setting is simple, the atmosphere intimate, yet what he recounts made cultural history. Christiane Büchner’s documentary ERZÄHLUNGEN EINES KINOGEHERS – WERNER DÜTSCH is based on an eight-hour conversation she had with the legendary WDR film editor in 2018. It begins with his early experiences of film in the clubs and cinemas of the postwar era and extends to his later years when he was a professor at the Academy of Media Arts in Cologne. An absolute Who’s Who of the figures who shaped West German film culture emerges, as does the impression that Dütsch was not prone to nostalgia. Visual highlights that accompany the stream of memories include photos, archival footage of television appearances and drawings and animations made by the filmmaker herself, which seem like film clips. A tribute to a passionate film enthusiast. (Birgit Kohler)