Berlin-Cinema (Titre Provisoire)

Running time: N/A

Berlin-Cinema is an intricate yet surprisingly lucid film that looks at two of the world's most peerless filmmakers'Wim Wenders and Jean-Luc Godard--as they explore the history, the splendor, and awesome force of the cinema. Director Samira Gloor-Fadel's non-traditional style of filmmaking interweaves the highly illuminating words of each master as he talks about the beauty of "the story" in an art-form that has more or less succumbed to formula rather than telling stories. But underneath the words of these two masters is much more, as we experience two additional stories--that of the charm and splendor of the city of Berlin and that of a young boy through whom we experience this strange city of ghosts. Their tales are just as important and absorbing, as we encounter a world of rich elegance through some of the most gorgeous black and white footage to grace the screen. Clearly one of the most personal and inspiring films in this year's program, Berlin-Cinema unlocks the door to an engrossing world rarely seen but very welcome by film-lovers. It is a symphony of images and a luxurious ride through cinema. --Mike Rabehl