2015 will be dedicated to the remembrance of the victims of the Holocaust – a subject that is of particular significance for our institution, given that the cinematic engagement with the Holocaust has formed a key concern of our work since the very foundation of our association in 1963, then called the Friends of the German Film Archive. This is still apparent to this day, whether in our cinema program, that of the Berlinale Forum we organize, or in our arsenal distribution portfolio. One of the most prominent events at the 1986 Forum was thus the German premiere of Claude Lanzmann's SHOAH at the Delphi-Filmpalast, a film that has since formed part of our distribution range. Additional films on the same theme shown at the Forum and subsequently added to our film archive include DIE FEUERPROBE by Erwin Leiser, HABEHIRA VEHAGORAL (Choice and Destiny) by Tsipi Reibenbach or Lanzmann's SOBIBOR, 14 OCTOBRE 1943, 16 HEURES. These special audiovisual documents of their times are in danger of fading into obscurity. On the one hand, the film print stock is under threat from both decay and wear and tear, while the media shift of recent years on the other means that there are fewer and fewer places capable of screening analogue films. In order to ensure this form of cinematic remembrance also remains accessible for coming generations, a selection of around 50 titles from our film collection has been put together, 10 of which will be digitalized or, if already available in digital form, acquired for digital projection over the next 10 months. The selection includes both well-known films as well as those that have received less attention or been undeservedly forgotten. From January 2015, a catalogue of the thematically relevant works from our collection will be available to present and contextualize the films in question.
From January 27 to February 4 2015, a comprehensive film series including introductions to the films, Q&As, and discussions will be taking place at the Arsenal cinema to mark the start of the project. The focus is on questions of memory, archives, and public spheres. We are glad to present the digital versions of the following films in January: DER LETZTE JUDE VON DROHOBYTSCH, DARK LULLABIESHABEHIRE VEHAGORAL and SHOAH. Christian Pischel's FU seminar at the Department of Film Studies presented three of a selection of six films to be screened publicly in cooperation with the project in December and will continue through January. The entire selection will be available for theatrical screenings from arsenal distribution.
