The Living Archive project is supported by the Goethe-Institut in the form of a fellowship program. Our fourth guest participant comes from Rio de Janeiro. In addition to his curatorial work, Joel Pizzini is primarily known as a film director, whose films are situated at the place where curatorial and directorial work come together. They draw on images from film history and allow them to speak anew. Two of his films are dedicated to works from our collection.

For her program on August 26, "Curatorial mother" Vaginal Davis has picked two small gems: Dudley Murphey's ST. LOUIS BLUES (1929) contains the only film footage of "Empress of the Blues" Bessie Smith, as well as her only recordings made outside of her Columbia Records contract. Amos Poe's THE BLANK GENERATION (1975) is a home movie about the birth of New York punk with Iggy Pop, Blondie and Patti Smith. Afterwards drinks and music will be served!

Once referred to by George A. Romero as the "lower class citizens of the monster world", zombies have gained increasing popularity in film in recent times. We are taking the increased presence of zombies as the incentive to hold a zombie evening on 30 August. Film and media studies scholars Michael Fürst, Florian Krautkrämer and Serjoscha Wiemer are presenting their book "Untot. Zombie Film Theorie", which brings together numerous articles on the theory and history of the zombie film. The thematic spectrum runs from Jacques Tourneur via George Romero to Bruce LaBruce. Two recent zombie films will be screened after the book presentation: Bruce LaBruce's second gay zombie film L.A. ZOMBIE is a typical mix of sex, violence and social criticism. JUAN OF THE DEAD (A. Brugués, Cuba 2011) is one of the newest zombie films, a bloody comedy celebrating the new revolution which has zombies conquer Havana.