IN THE DUST OF THE STARS

The "Utopian Film" in East Europe

The retrospective "In The Dust Of The Stars" is dedicated to a chapter of East European film making which is almost entirely unknown in the West, excepting, that is, the films of Andrej Tarkovski. We are talking here about scientific-fantastic cinema, which, to keep it distinct from Western SF, was called "Utopian Cinema" in the socialist countries.

Film journalist Michael Hanisch named the "utopian" film the "unpopular genre" as it was expensive and demanded a larger film industry, which was only to be found in the USSR. It was no wonder then that of over 700 East German DEFA films only four can be placed in this category. These large-scale cinemascopic space adventures form the centre of our series, complemented by five Czech and Polish films, which have rarely been shown in the West.

What makes Utopian films worth seeing again today is their reflection of their times and especially their nostalgic value. Anyone who - simply because of the costumes, the technology and the sets - cannot be enthused by these films is no friend of the cinema.




Im Staub der Sterne (Stardust)
Director: Gottfried Kolditz, GDR 1976, 100 min, 35 mm, colour, ES, Scope
Th, November 10 3:00 pm CinemaxX 4 Guests: Kurt Marks, Karl-Ernst Sasse
Sa, November 12 1:15 pm CinemaxX 4 Guests: Kurt Marks, Karl-Ernst Sasse



A call for help is received from the planet of TEM 4. But when the rescue ship arrives there, there is no sign of a trouble. Commander Akala and her crew are invited by the leader of the Temeners to a sumptuous feast, during which their consciousness is manipulated by drugs. Navigator Suko is the only one who suspects anything and discovers the dark secret of the Temeners.

Varnishy clothes, perfect hair styles, lightly clad dancing girls and ABBA-style space costumes grace this film about the struggle against suppression and exploitation.




Der schweigende Stern (The Silent Star)
Director: Kurt Maetzig, PL 1959, 93 min, 35 mm, colour, GV, Scope
We, November 9 7:30 pm CinemaxX 4 Guest: Michael Hanisch
Fr, November 11 5:15 pm Universum 2 Guests: Doris Borkmann, Kurt Marks



In 1979 an internationally manned Soviet spaceship is on its way to Venus, the reason being an electrical coil that was found in 1908 in the Gobi Desert and whose provenance, Venus, had only recently been discovered. Arriving on Venus, the scientists come across the remains of an intelligent civilization which became a victim of its own atomic machinery of destruction.

"Der schweigende Stern" was the DEFA's first SF film and even appeared shortly in West Germany and in the USA.




Eolomea
Director: Herrmann Zschoche, GDR/BG/UdSSR 1972, 81 min, 35 mm, colour, GV, Scope
We, November 9 10:15 pm CinemaxX 4 Guests: Herrmann Zschoche, Kurt Marks, Günther Jaeuthe
Th, November 10 7:45 pm Universum 2 Guests: Herrmann Zschoche, Kurt Marks, Günther Jaeuthe



Eight space ships have disappeared without a trace. Shortly afterwards Morse-code-like signals are received, which spell out the word "Eolomea". Scientific director Maria learns that her rival, Professor Tal, has been working on a forbidden project with this name. She confronts Tal, who then tells her of a legendary planet which is Earth's counterpart.

"Eolomea" was awarded the "Grand Prix" by Uniatec for its special effects.




Signale - Ein Weltraumabenteuer (Signals - An Adventure in Space)
Director: Gottfried Kolditz, GDR/PL 1970, 91 min, 35 mm, colour, GV, Scope
Fr, November 11 3:00 pm CinemaxX 4 Guests: Kurt Marks, Karl-Ernst Sasse
Sa, November 12 3:15 pm Universum 2 Guests: Kurt Marks, Karl-Ernst Sasse



Ikaros, a research spaceship, is not sending any more signals and all hope of rescue has been abandoned. Veikko, commander of the control rocket Laika, resolves nonetheless to make one more attempt to look for the Ikaros and her crew. In space the Laika receives strange radio noises. On finding the Ikaros drifting unmanned through space, the crew of the Laika is seized with panic.

The calm narrative style of "Signals" reminds one very much of Kubrick's film "2001 - A Space Odessey".




Test Pilot Pirx (aka Testflug zum Saturn)
Director: Marek Piestrak, PL/UdSSR 1978, 95 min, 35 mm, colour, GV
Su, November 13 00:15 am (Night from Sa to Su) CinemaxX 3
Su, November 13 1:00 pm CinemaxX 4



After months of training space pilot Pirksa goes into space for the first time. His crew consists in part of robots, made so perfectly that they cannot be distinguished from a real person. The mission is to see whether robots can replace humans on space expeditions. When an unforeseen incident calls for a decision from him Pirksa has a struggle for power with the head robot.

"Test Pilot Pirx" is a brilliantly successful adaptation of Polish SF writer Stanislaw Lem's short story.




Der Mann aus dem ersten Jahrhundert (First-Century Man / Muz z prvního století)
Director: Oldrich Lipsky, CSSR 1961, 93 min, 35 mm, b/w, GV
Th, November 10 10:30 pm Universum 2
Su, November 13 11:15 am CinemaxX 4



Working in a spaceship one day wallpaper man Josef accidentally launches himself into space where he mets an alien. In 2447 they travel to Earth, where Josef learns that everything is now fully automatic. Finally he finds a way back to 1962. In order not to endanger the future of Earth he is warned not to introduce too soon the methods of automatization which he has observed in 2447.

Like most of his films, Lipsky's "First-Century Man" is an easy-going comedy with a serious moral.




Ikarie XB 1
Director: Jindrich Polák, CSSR 1963, 81 min, 35 mm, b/w, GV
Sa, November 12 00:15 am (Night from Fr to Sa) CinemaxX 3
Sa, November 12 11:00 am CinemaxX 2



In 2163 forty men and women set out on an expedition to the planet of Alpha Centauri, where they wish to start a peaceful colony free of corruption and envy. On the way they encounter another space ship whose crew members, also human, have evidently all killed each other. Shortly after, they arrive in the vicinity of a dark star, whose mysterious rays cause insuperable weariness.

The excellently staged final showdown scenes of "Ikarie XB 1" make it one of Eastern Europe's most fascinating SF films.




O-bi, O-ba - Das Ende der Zivilisation
Director: Piotr Szulkin, PL 1985, 88 min, 35 mm, colour, ES
Fr, November 11 7:45 pm Universum 2



A couple of hundred people have survived an all-destroying atomic war in a concrete bunker in the mountains. Now they are hoping for rescue from a cosmic ark. On learning that this ark is only a fairy tale fabricated by the ruling powers, they decide to build one like Noah's. However, only the hardcover of the Bible can be found, the pages having been used to make synthetic food.

Szulkin develops a sombre last-days atmosphere, which is further enhanced by the starkly artificial presentation of the contaminated earth and by the lack of warmth in the bare rooms in the bunker.




Krieg der Welten (War of The Worlds - The Next Century)
Director: Piotr Szulkin, PL 1981, 96 min, 35 mm, colour, ES
Su, November 13 8:15 pm Universum 2



TV reporter Iron Idem reports that extraterrestrials, so-called Martians, have landed on Earth and have taken control of Earth's media. In spite of destroyed streets Idem has to tell people that the Martians' intentions are friendly. When Idem's own wife is kidnapped, he tries to tell everyone the truth but no one believes him.

"War of the Worlds" is based on H.G. Wells' novel and on Orson Welles' radio adaptation of it, which caused a mass panic in the USA when broadcast in 1938. People thought it was true.




"In The Dust Of The Stars" - the filmfest-Party!
Sa, November 12 10:00 pm LOT-Theater



Beam me up, Wladimir!

The Braunschweig International Film Festival invites you to the party orbit, following the zodiac of this year's retrospective "In The Dust Of The Stars". Jump into your dress uniform and get ready for the hottest galaxy trip of the year. The sound of the "Sound Cosmonaut's Collective" is definitively not from this planet. The Berlin collective "JuToJo" takes care of the visual cruise, including Leo winner 2004 Joni Braun and VJ Toby Cornish who are well known for their collaborations with clubjazz/jazzclub kings of Jazzanova (Sonar-Kollektiv). Get ready, preceed to the starting ramp!

Entry fee: 4 €, free for owners of seaon tickets.

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