Cinema classics and exciting documentaries: film series starts in Cluj-Napoca!

Cinema classics and exciting documentaries: film series starts in Cluj-Napoca!

In Cluj-Napoca, the cultural stronghold of Romania, an exciting film program is announced that deals with historical and social topics. The focus is on the Turkish minority in Germany and the challenges they have faced over the years. On October 9th, at 5:30 p.m., the documentary “Love, D-Mark and Death” by Cem Kaya will be shown in the Victoria Cinema. Kaya, a recognized director who won the Audience Award at the Berlinale in 2022, illuminates in his work the stories of the first generation of Turkish guest workers who came to Germany almost 60 years ago. This refugee group often saw itself in the shadows of society and struggled to make its own history visible in cultural discourse.

The documentary offers a deep insight into Germany's Turkish music scene and contains nostalgic stories from immigrants. Kaya's film is peppered with television clips from past years that reflect Germans' latent mistrust of foreigners. “Everything about you is a lie, Germany,” a man’s voice sounds in the trailer for a pre-reunification song, highlighting the complex and often painful experiences that these first guest workers had.

Film series and other performances

On the same evening, October 9th, cinema-goers can experience the drama “Everyone is talking about the weather” by Annika Pinske at 8 p.m. The plot revolves around Clara, a young philosophy student from Berlin who visits her mother in the Mecklenburg province. Here she becomes aware of the contrast between urban and rural life as she attends her mother's 60th birthday party surrounded by her large family. The tension of the past and its unspoken traumas make it difficult for Clara to find her own path in life that is not shaped by her family's history.

On Thursday, October 10th, the film series ends with “Sun and Concrete”, a film by David Wnendt based on the novel of the same name by Felix Lobrecht. The film takes the audience into the harsh Berlin environment of Gropiusstadt, where the actions of four young people who are involved in a theft are shown. The film and its characters reflect the challenges and social circumstances of today's youth. Another aspect of society that is particularly noticeable in large cities is highlighted here.

The films are equipped with subtitles to give international viewers the opportunity to understand the stories. While “Sun and Concrete” uses Romanian subtitles, the other two films are available with English subtitles. Tickets can be easily reserved via the Victoria Cinema website, making it easier to access these impressive film screenings.

This film series by the German Cultural Center Cluj-Napoca is an important cultural event that not only provides information, but also stimulates thought about how these social stories came about and their influence on today's image of society. A more in-depth analysis of these topics can also be found in a recent article at adz.news.