Finding Felix Project

My photo
Berlin, Germany
The Finding Felix Project is a work for screen and publication from Katy Kavanaugh, a curator and filmmaker (katykavanaugh.weebly.com). Funding from Stanford University, The Freie Universität- Berlin and DAAD allowed her to return to the Berlin Film Festival's 35 year-old Generation (formerly Kinderfilmfest) to collect evidence of the directive impact that international films seen in childhood can have toward shaping the breadth of a person's view of the world and the decisions they make. This investigation focuses on one eleven year-old film festival-goer whom Kavanaugh met while serving on the Kinderfilmfest's international jury in 2001. Ten years later, Kavanaugh wants to know how a childhood full of international films influenced Felix's life so far. Meanwhile, with help from Media Consultant Tina Toepfel and Gintare Malinauskaite, PhD History at Humboldt Universität, Felix has been found and is now in post-production. To help meet its completion goal, please consider contributing via our fiscal sponsor, Cinefemme.net. https://cinefemme.net/projects/finding-felix/

Friday, March 25, 2011

Die Erste Erinnerung: The Very First Memory of an International Film Imprinted Today

Ist das dein erstes Mal auf die Berlinale? Is this the first time at the Berlinale? Ist das dein erstes Mal mit einem Film in einer anderen Sprache? Is this the first film in another language?

On 15 February, Kurzfilm I, the program of short films for the youngest filmgoers, ages 4 and up, brings in masses of school children to fill the 1000 - seat theater. Festival Director Maryanne Redpath says, "It's always on the first Tuesday and it's always an extraordinary scene." That it was, with school groups coming early and planting themselves on the lobby floor for snacktime, some nearly forty-five minutes before showtime. This gave us a wonderful opportunity to find out just how many first memories of international films were being made on this day. That is indeed extraordinary. Studies in cognitive development state that the recognition of the first event in conversation will help secure the memory. We hope to have helped in that regard today, despite the stumbles in the interviewer's elementary German.


Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Twins x 2: This family chooses cinema.

A family with two sets of twins, infants and five year old girls, have brought their daughters to the Berlinale since they were two years old. They don't watch television so look forward to the annual program at the film festival. Dad says the girls have a collection of short films which they watch often and know in detail.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Dieter Thomas, film memory: King of the Grizzlies

Dieter Thomas, son of two school teachers, Chef de Cuisine and writer, is not short on thoughts and ideas. His vivid memory of his first international film came with a vivid memory of the day around the viewing: the town's local theater wanted to fill the vacant daytime hours with films for school children.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Opening Night 10 February

More filmgoers and young journalists telling us about their memories of their first international films at the opening night of the Generation section of the Berlinale.



The two lead performers from Opening Night film from Norway, "Jørgen + Anne = Sant" on the redcarpet, rote Teppich.














Filmgoers waiting to enter the 1025-seat capacity theater. Posters of each Generation film, feature and short, line the balustrade.








Photos: Gintare Malinauskaite

Berlinale Generation, February 10-20



Opening night of the Berlinale Generation section brought out the youngest journalists, the youngest performers and the youngest audience members along with adult counterparts to each. The Opening Night film was the Norwegian film "Jørgen + Anne = Sant" a funny, sensitively and authentically told story of fifth-grade love.


Photos: Gintare Malinauskaite