Dorothee Wenner's Living Archive project "Family Affairs" – developed in close cooperation with Erika and Ulrich Gregor – is a personal, almost private – and yet hopefully insightful – collection of stories about single films in Arsenal's archive, which were either shown in the Berlinale Forum section or were purchased, given as gifts or arrived in Berlin via other channels. Indeed it has often been a question of chance and happenstance, preferences of taste, political convictions, financial restrictions or tactical moves that have brought certain films into our archive. On the occasion of Arsenal's 50th birthday, we are presenting the first series of these "netflicks" as part of Living Archive on our website and in the cinema foyer.

Dorothee Wenner's Living Archive project "Family Affairs" – developed in close cooperation with Erika and Ulrich Gregor – is a personal, almost private – and yet hopefully insightful – collection of stories about single films in Arsenal's archive, which were either shown in the Berlinale Forum section or were purchased, given as gifts or arrived in Berlin via other channels. Indeed it has often been a question of chance and happenstance, preferences of taste, political convictions, financial restrictions or tactical moves that have brought certain films into our archive. On the occasion of Arsenal's 50th birthday, we are presenting the first series of these "netflicks" as part of Living Archive on our website and in the cinema foyer.

In February 2012, students from Hito Steyerl's class at the UdK Berlin organized the exhibition Now! (Extended): A Copy in Motion at Kunstraum Kreuzberg. It featured cinematographic, installative, performative and sculptural works which examined Santiago Álvarez's NOW! (Cuba 1965), a found-footage film made up of photos of the US 1960s civil rights movement, and asked how relevant the film is in a digital era in which images and sounds are becoming increasingly mobile and their appropriation and piracy are daily occurrences. In June, the students will show an installative documentary of the exhibition at the KW and present a book about the project (Performing Books, KW, 19.6.). There will also be film performances at Arsenal (22.6.).

Text and visual notes from and about the films of the archive and the issues that made us pause during our research. A film evening featuring excerpts of films that are the basis of an ongoing publication project, which treats the films themselves as protagonists, which describe geographical and temporal paths and not only thus enable us to interpret their less known characteristics but also the moment of arrival. What does it mean to come across these films as an explorer? The publication will be produced in Cairo as a "Cahier de la Cimatheque". Excerpts can be seen at KW. (22.6.)

Numerous publications are being published in the context of the Living Archive project. In adition to the Living Archive catalogue, "Rising Stars, Falling Stars", a broshure accompanying Vaginal Davis' series at the Arsenal cinema has already been published as well as eleven books within the framework of the project "KEYwording". The publication "NOW! Extended" will be available soon. Madhusree Dutta and Ines Shaber’s project "KEYwording – Notes on Enculturation of Words and Word Practice within the Image Archive" deals with the importance of tagging and annotation for the functioning of an archive. The Arsenal has abandoned the convention of keywording because "the given categories do not and cannot be applied to many of the films Arsenal is collecting." Inspired by this statement, the project aims to create a cross-cultural dialogue on the usage of words and their expanses in the context of myriad theories, practices, associations and actions within the field of cultural productions.

George Brecht's contribution to George Maciunas' 1965 FLUXREEL shows for 8 minutes a monochrome image that is white to begin with and gradually gets darker. When the screen is black, the eyes get used to the darkness and the viewer's gaze wanders. The materiality of the screen can be recognized. The surroundings return. An open air screening at KW Institute for Contemporary Art. (22.6.)

What can I see when I have a filmstrip in my hands. How do I find a film in the archive? Which pictures remain with me after a program of shorts? Over 200 Berlin schoolchildren were able to gain an insight into Arsenal's film collection. They curated their own programs from short, mainly experimental, films in a playful way. They also drew their recollections of films. Stefanie Schlüter presents the results in an exhibition and three events for families and schools. Films, programs and drawings made by the children will be shown. They will also provide live scores. The project was supported by the filmmakers Ute Aurand, Robert Beavers, Milena Gierke and the silent movie pianist Eunice Martins. (For children aged 6 and above, 9.–13.6.)

What can I see when I have a filmstrip in my hands. How do I find a film in the archive? Which pictures remain with me after a program of shorts? Over 200 Berlin schoolchildren were able to gain an insight into Arsenal's film collection. They curated their own programs from short, mainly experimental, films in a playful way. They also drew their recollections of films. Stefanie Schlüter presents the results in an exhibition and three events for families and schools. Films, programs and drawings made by the children will be shown. They will also provide live scores. The project was supported by the filmmakers Ute Aurand, Robert Beavers, Milena Gierke and the silent movie pianist Eunice Martins. (For children aged 6 and above, 9.–13.6.)

Numerous publications are being published in the context of the Living Archive project. In adition to the Living Archive catalogue, "Rising Stars, Falling Stars", a broshure accompanying Vaginal Davis' series at the Arsenal cinema has already been published as well as eleven books within the framework of the project "KEYwording". The publication "NOW! Extended" will be available soon. Madhusree Dutta and Ines Shaber’s project "KEYwording – Notes on Enculturation of Words and Word Practice within the Image Archive" deals with the importance of tagging and annotation for the functioning of an archive. The Arsenal has abandoned the convention of keywording because "the given categories do not and cannot be applied to many of the films Arsenal is collecting." Inspired by this statement, the project aims to create a cross-cultural dialogue on the usage of words and their expanses in the context of myriad theories, practices, associations and actions within the field of cultural productions.