The next edition of our children's film atelier takes place on February 24, for anyone aged 5 and above. Moving images in the cinema are magical, as the first filmmakers over 100 years ago already knew. They not only wanted to show magical images, but also magic in films. This was made possible by editing. In CUISINE ABRACADABRANTE (Unusual Cooking, France 1908) and LE SORCIER ARABE (The Arab Sorceror, France 1906), Segundo de Chomón conjures magical performances and tricks on his stage. In Émile Cohl’s LE MOBILIER FIDÈLE (The Automatic Moving Company, France 1910) the life of a new tenant is made hell by the furniture. Later filmmakers, such as Kenneth Anger in RABBIT’S MOON (UK 1950/1978) and Anita Thacher in LOOSE CORNER (USA 1986), were inspired by the magic and simple tricks of these early films and cast their own spells. After the screenings, we will step in the footsteps of these pioneers and create our own film magic.

The next event of our children's film atelier takes place on January 20, for everyone aged 5 and above.

A different take on witching hour.: When in SPOOK SPORT (USA 1939) the witching hour sounds, brightly colored ghosts perform a uplifting ballet. And ghosts don’t only come out at night: There’s a practical joke involving mirrors in AH! LA BARBE (A Funny Shave, F 1905), and in A CHAIRY TALE (Canada 1957) a chair resists a man’s attempts to approach it. Witches also come out in daylight in BEWITCHED MATCHES (Les Allumettes Ensourcelees, F 1903) when some matches are brought to life and made to perform. In the stencil color MME CROQUEMITAINE (The Wicked Witch, F 1909), a witch transforms children into huge vegetables. VORMITTAGSSPUK (Ghosts Before Breakfast, G 1928) manages to go off the rails without the help of ghosts or witches: Hats fly through the air, crockery smashes and repairs itself… At 12 o’clock it’s all over.

On December 16, we are showing films under the title of “In and Around School” for all those who go to school or will soon be starting there. Peter Nestler’s cheerful film AUFSÄTZE (BRD 1963) takes us to a tiny school in the Swiss alps. In WHAT MOZART SAW ON MULBERRY STREET (USA 1956) by Rudy Burckhardt and Joseph Cornell, Mozart watches children playing in August of 1956 in New York. Winfried Junge filmed WENN ICH ERST ZUR SCHULE GEH … (East Germany 1961) with children from the small village of Golzow in 1961, marking the start of his famous longitudinal study. And at the end, things get colorful in the animated short ROSE FOR RED (USA 1980) by Diana Wilson.

The next film workshop for children takes place on November 25.

What are those ringing, scratching, rustling sounds in film? Since the very first films were shown in 1895, they were accompanied by sound effects and music. Nowadays, music and sound come from a previously recorded soundtrack. Before we carry out our own experiments with sound and develop ideas for our own soundtrack to a film together and play it live, we will get to discover what can be seen and heard in six short films: In KOMPOSITION IN BLAU (Oskar Fischinger, Germany 1935) and A COLOUR BOX (Len Lye, GB 1935) sounds become movement. LIGHTS (Marie Menken, USA 1965) casts a spell with lights on the screen and SANS LUNE MIT PRÄLUDIUM (Sophie Watzlawick, Switzerland/Germany 2017) immerses us in the sounds and voices of the night. In WHAT MOZART SAW ON MULBERRY STREET (Rudy Burckhardt/Joseph Cornell, USA 1956), we observe life on the street, while in LES PAPILLONS JAPONAIS (Segundo de Chomón, France 1908), butterflies become transformed in miraculous fashion. (for viewers 8 years and above)