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IFFR 2025 Harbour
by Olivia Popp
10/02/2025 - Bergur Bernburg presents a collage-like Icelandic docufiction
a formally fascinating but occasionally overly free-flying examination of defying biomedical diagnoses
Described in a subtitle card as “a journey into the unknown territories of the human mind”, Bergur Bernburg's world-premiering IFFR Harbour title Storm Alerts takes a lightly avant-garde jab at a biomedically driven experience of the world through a docufictional lens
With a script by Jón Atli Jónasson and Bernburg
the film follows Marteinn Helgi Sigurðsson
whom we are introduced to as an “unmarried man in his forties
who holds a doctorate in Old Norse from Cambridge University”
an assistant professor at the University of Copenhagen and a highly accomplished scholar of Viking and Medieval Norse studies
Sigurðsson’s plight is a prolonged case of depression and anxiety attacks related to “unfinished research projects” that are suggested to fit a conventional biomedical diagnosis of bipolar disorder
describing his patient’s case file as “their portrait of me” and “their take on reality”
he is sceptical at seeing the complexity distilled down to box-checking
Through talking-head interviews with his colleagues
archival footage from his past and encounters with the academic himself
we first learn about Sigurðsson more as the outside world sees him: dedicated
the scholar actively condemns a shift in academic focus away from history and critical thinking
reflecting his internal discord and discontent with the world around him
He further recounts his experiences with his mental condition
the film then takes a turn into the more surrealist closer to the halfway point
where Sigurðsson is fictionalised in unspeaking scenes by performer Kristján Ingimarsson
including his interactions with a snooty psychiatrist (Kurt Ravn)
we also hear how his mental state devolved
Stitched together by external clips – such as those of animals and nature – and footage from films
Storm Alerts’ second-half messiness takes us into what might be imagined as the inner mind of the academic
Intercut in between are colourful and sped-up euphoric/manic sequences
cheesy fake advertisements for luxury “hotels” (a nod to mental-health treatment centres) and brainrot-esque pieces that fight for attention with a set of calming moments with the professor himself
The movie’s choice of music during several frantic moments also takes a front seat
where several sequences are accompanied by Ravel’s famous orchestral piece “Bolero”
The song notably features a march-like percussion foundation and an enchanting woodwinds-heavy melodic line
which can be read as Sigurðsson’s coexisting but conflicting and intricate sides to his personality
Storm Alerts is a fascinating approach to questioning the strict biomedical frameworks to which we are subjected
although its late-film controlled chaos occasionally grows difficult to grasp onto as it intentionally defies description and order
it’s still a bold move to try and give us an 80-minute look into Sigurðsson’s mental life
something that can’t be either logically or emotionally replicated in a precise way
where the most important takeaways are the rollercoaster feelings of confusion
given that Sigurðsson is experiencing the same
Storm Alerts is an Icelandic-Danish production by Firnindi Films and ResearchGruppen Aps, in cooperation with Kristján Ingimarsson Company and Sagafilm
Its world sales are also managed by Firnindi Films
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Bergur Bernburg presents a collage-like Icelandic docufiction, a formally fascinating but occasionally overly free-flying examination of defying biomedical diagnoses
10/02/2025 | IFFR 2025 | Harbour
The leading Scandinavian market is gearing up for its 26th edition, and will welcome new projects by Lisa Langseth, Hlynur Pálmason, Maria Sødahl, Ester Martin Bergsmark and Shahrbanoo Sadat
13/01/2025 | Göteborg 2025 | Göteborg Industry
We take a closer look at seven of the non-fiction projects pitched recently at the Malmö-based gathering
30/09/2022 | Nordisk Panorama 2022
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Review: Storia di una notte
29/04/2025Films / Reviews – Peru/Spain
Review: Kayara. La guerrera del Imperio Inca
29/04/2025Hot Docs 2025
Review: Supernatural
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Cannes 2025 Marché du Film
AFCI runs its second annual Global Film Commission Network Summit at Marché du Film
Festivals / Awards Czech Republic
Czech Republic’s Anifilm goes sci-fi
Distribution / Releases / Exhibitors Europe
European Arthouse Cinema Day set to return on 23 November
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Indie Sales presents a three-star line-up at Cannes
HOFF 2025
The Shadow and U Are the Universe win at Estonia’s Haapsalu Horror and Fantasy Film Festival
Crossing Europe 2025 Awards
The New Year That Never Came and The Flats crowned at Crossing Europe
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Be For Films to sell Love Me Tender in Cannes
Cannes 2025/Sponsored
Latvia set to shine bright at Cannes, led by Sergei Loznitsa’s competition entry Two Prosecutors
Las Palmas 2025 MECAS/Awards
Manuel Muñoz Rivas and Joana Carro win awards at the eighth MECAS
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Playtime to present some high-impact and entrancing trump cards at Cannes
Production / Funding Italy
Shooting begins on Walter Fasano’s Nino, a portrait of scoring maestro Nino Rota
goEast 2025
Market TrendsFOCUSA busy spring festival season awaits the European film industry. Cineuropa will continue to keep its readers up to date with the latest news and market insights, covering the buzziest events, including Cannes, Kraków, Karlovy Vary, Tribeca, Hot Docs, Annecy, Brussels, Munich and many others
Distribution, Exhibition and Streaming – 02/05/2025Slovak crime-thriller Černák becomes the highest-grossing film in domestic cinemasThe second film in the saga about a local mafia boss, directed by Jakub Króner, outgrossed its first part, which dominated Slovak cinemas last year
Animation – 30/04/2025Mirko Goran Marijanac • Media sales executive, DeAPlaneta EntertainmentDuring our chat, the exec shared key insights from this year’s Cartoon Next and touched on the current climate for the animation sector
Jaśmina Wójcik • Director of King Matt the First
The Polish director discusses her approach to taking on a 1920s children’s literary classic in an unexpected way
Želimir Žilnik • Director of Eighty Plus
The Serbian director discusses his deep suspicion of ideologies in relation to his irresistibly charming latest feature, which follows a man whose life spans three political systems
Paulina Jaroszewicz • Distribution and marketing manager, New Horizons Association
Cineuropa sat down with the Polish distributor to discuss her company’s strategy as well as the connection between its distribution line-up and BNP Paribas New Horizons Festival’s programme
Lorcan Finnegan • Director of The Surfer
The Irish filmmaker discusses his mystery-thriller, how he created the character with Nicolas Cage and his approach to the use of colours in the film
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Mädchen in Uniform is screening at Film Forum’s SAPPH-O-RAMA Film Festival on Tuesday
The first thing you should know about this Prussian women’s boarding school: You’ll find more lingering glances within its walls than at a Smith College library on a Friday night
grieving teenager Manuela (Hertha Thiele) is sent to aforementioned boarding school for daughters of Prussian soldiers in Northern Germany
She is heartily welcomed by a posse of endearing and occasionally mischievous girls
They make it clear from the onset: they are enamored with their governess Fräulein von Bernburg (Dorothea Wieck)
“Almost all the girls here have a crush on Miss von Bernburg.” Soon
is stricken by infatuation (as evidenced by the hazy close-ups best achieved with a dab of petroleum jelly on the lens)
While the girls embody a spirit of playfulness
the atmosphere is stingy on kindness under the oppressive watch of the headmistress (Emile Unda)
And God help the girl who tries to smuggle out a letter to parents decrying Sunday’s lack of food
Mädchen in Uniform (Germany
based on the 1930 play Gestern und heute (Yesterday and Today) by Christa Winsloe
The subject of girl-on-girl desire is treated with a normalcy that might surprise the modern theatergoer
given the puritanism that has gripped swaths of the U.S.
But the film was made at a time when Germany enjoyed more artistic freedom under the liberal government of the Weimar Republic
which held sway from the end of WWI in 1918 until the cementing of Hitler’s dictatorship in 1933
The movie played at Film Forum this weekend – the first of three showings as part of the SAPPH-O-RAMA Film Fest
students with rapturous expressions kneel at the ends of their beds
waiting for Governess Fräulein von Bernburg
von Bernburg makes her rounds with a kiss to each forehead
You would think a Manhattan audience has seen it all
the full on affection reserved by Governess von Bernburg for her student draws a sizable gasp and awkward laughter from the house
“I loved it!” says Sarah Cowan
because these kids are so repressed,” adds fellow film-goer Ainara Tiefenthäler
Ainara happens to be German and also notes the gender-neutral aspect of some of the language
The sub-titles refer to “girls” [“Mädchen”]
but the spoken German in the film is actually a gender-neutral “the children” [“die Kinder”]
“…that’s what I thought was interesting about the gender neutral language,” Ainara says
They use the words “the child” in the film
They have desires that they’re living up through this fantasy
because they’re all just smitten.”
“But also if that was a movie now [in the US]
that would be banned – or people would try to ban it.”
the film was initially well-received and garnered excellent reviews
“This all-woman film from Germany is more than a curiosity and a worthy artistic achievement
It is a cinema phenomenon…Its memory will be for a long time a clearly defined emotion – that is the personal reaction of this hack”
“It’s rare to see a movie that’s almost 100 years old
and people are still laughing and engaging in this way,” Ainara tells GO
“And it’s not even an American movie
so the cultural context is completely different.”
The happenings in the film reflect the real-world rise of authoritarianism
Governess von Bernburg “has ideas that are clearly considered progressive in the school,” Sarah comments of an atmosphere that is all about grooming girls to become mothers of the soldiers that will fight for Germany
“The dynamic with the headmistress and then the other teachers or governesses – you get the sense that they disagree with her authoritarian practices but they don’t say anything,” Sarah notices
Ainara’s take: “The governess is just wanting them to grow into fully rounded happy humans.”
After a school play put on to honor the headmistress
Manuela creates a scandal in her tipsy state
loudly declaring her love for the governess
She is punished with isolation in “the sick room”
Students and teachers are forbidden to speak with her
But Governess von Bernburg breaks from the edict to try to offer comfort
but the love must not be allowed to blossom
which soon turns to hysteria and terror when Manuela can’t be found
We see her begin to ascend a tall winding staircase
Her classmates ring the bell in alarm and frantically call her name
The Film Forum audience groaned with worry
Would this be another lesbian film with a tragic ending
“But it’s also beautiful how all the girls come together and save her because I feel like we all know so many movies where the kid gets bullied… here she clearly gets bullied by authorities
but her peers come and embrace her,” says Ainara
Mädchen in Uniform was banned by the Nazi’s
He ordered all copies of the “degenerate” film burned
He also didn’t like the hints that authoritarianism sucks
Director Leontine Sagan fled for her life and playwright Christa Winsloe left Germany with lover Dorothy Thompson
the first American journalist to be expelled from Nazi Germany in 1934
and met their demise in concentration camps
Actor Hertha Thiele stood up to Goebbels when asked to appear in Nazi propaganda: “I don’t blow with the wind each time it changes directions.” She was blacklisted
Some prints remained in Romania where a “longstockings and kissing” cult reportedly existed among Bucharest schoolgirls, no doubt helping ensure that the film survived. It was almost banned in the U.S., but got a limited release because Eleanor Roosevelt liked it
certainly younger,” says West Village-resident
She saw it this past weekend and remembers seeing it 50 years ago in a lesbian coffee house
“The little bit of shame in our lives is less
certainly for a younger audience than it was for me when I was in my twenties.” Now more savvy about filmmaking itself
she appreciates the use of shadow and light
I think it’s a remarkable film.”
Mädchen in Uniform will hold additional screenings at Film Forum’s SAPPH-O-RAMA Film Festival on Tuesday
Despite the looming presence of an increasingly anti-LGBTQ+ administration
WorldPride 2025 will be a star-studded celebration of diversity—right in front of the Capitol
Over 2 million fans showed up in person—but you can stream the whole show from your couch
The Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project is celebrating LGBTQ+
BIPOC communities with its annual film festival
Keegan Stewart’s photo series ‘Carabiners’ documents the popularity of the queer-coded fashion accessory
The biggest show of Gaga’s career nearly became a target of hate
Florida’s LGBTQ+ community has blocked every anti-queer bill this year
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Salt mining is an ancient process; the deposits themselves can be several hundred million years old
Such is the case at the Bernburg mine in Germany
where esco (european salt company) extracts rock salt from a 250-million-year-old underground deposit
Salt production here dates back to the Middle Ages
Today esco relies on modern mining equipment to produce roughly 2 million tons of salt each year
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It is an apt time to honor these pioneers: to recognize that we are here
making compelling art from under the shadow of oppression
A scene from 1931’s Mädchen in Uniform
It has existed even as the world has changed
and appearing in the most unlikely of places
The gem of the collection is Mädchen in Uniform
a revolutionary film about 14-year old Manuela (Hertha Thiele)
after arriving at a strict Prussian boarding school
becomes deeply infatuated with her teacher
Adapted from a play written by Christa Winsloe
it was saved from US censorship through the support of none other than Eleanor Roosevelt
Mädchen in Uniform depicts lesbianism as a benediction in an otherwise unforgiving world
In the midst of hunger and austerity – common afflictions in the dying days of the Weimar Republic – von Bernburg offers Manuela and her classmates compassion and understanding
turning her face like a flower to her teacher’s light
Dominated by stark shadows and looming hallways
Mädchen in Uniform finds its softness in the love between women – not just in Manuela’s formative desire for von Bernburg
but between the students themselves: constantly holding hands
slinging their arms around one another’s shoulders
The film shows its tender underbelly most when Manuela pictures the Fräulein
the lines of her face softened and blurred by diffuse light
taking on the ethereal quality of a daydream
“What you call sin,” von Bernburg insists to the draconian headmistress in the film’s climax
Gay love as a powerful force is turned on its head in 1924’s Michael
who would go on to helm such silent classics as The Passion of Joan of Arc
based on the 1902 novel by gay author Herman Bang
Dreyer turns his camera toward the dissolution of the relationship between wealthy painter Claude Zoret (Benjamin Christensen) and the eponymous young model (Walter Slezak)
who in turn seeks to use his proximity to wealth to ease her financial burdens
Michael is essentially a study of shifting power
especially as it pertains to the relationship between artist and muse
often referred to as “der Meister” (or “the master”)
But when it comes to Michael he finds himself helpless
Dreyer’s camera lingers as Claude strokes his young lover’s hair
shifting from beautifully composed wide shots to shadowed close-ups as Michael drifts away from Claude and into the countess’s arms
Though their relationship is referred to as that of father and adopted son
a subplot featuring a straying wife directly parallels the triangle between Claude
as if to underscore the homoerotic nature of the film’s main pairing
To see such a relationship between two men portrayed as early in 1924 is
even as each frame resonates with the lingering ache of betrayal and loneliness
A scene from 1933’s Victor and Victoria
Not all was tragedy; there is also light and joy in these early films
1933’s Victor and Victoria revels in a spirit of freedom and playfulness as it subverts gender performance
in a role that would be eventually played by Julie Andrews in the English-language remake) finds herself substituting for her partner-in-crime Victor (Hermann Thimig) in his vaudeville act
in which he sings and dances as a woman named Victoria
She becomes a woman playing a man playing a woman
Once Susanne grows past her anxieties and fear of men’s changing rooms
eventually landing herself and Victor in London
entangled in a web of affections spun among society’s finest
Susanne displays her expert slapstick mimicry of the rituals of masculinity: manspreading on a barstool
capturing the attention of a woman from across a crowded room
Gender is dramatized as nothing more than an act
a complicated dance of carefully choreographed steps
It’s a joy to watch Müller command entire scenes with little else than her wide eyes and knack for physical comedy
Each horrified shake of her head is its own punchline
as we watch her parade around in tailored suits and sing in supposed drag
This was was the sunset of the Weimar Republic
and Müller would die under suspicious circumstances in 1937
after refusing to appear in Nazi-produced films
Though the Weimar Republic ended as quickly as it began
and the LGBT community faced violent persecution under Nazi rule
these films survive as a testament to not only the continued existence of queer cinema
They paved the way for future queer narratives to unfold on screen — and not just because they were made and seen
ranging from slow character studies to riotous musical comedies
Therein lies its strength and lasting power
As we approach another era in which fascism looms
these fascinating films remind us that the most vulnerable have always struggled to have their voices heard
Megan Sergison is a writer currently based in Somerville
She can be found staring out of the windows of public transportation listening to film scores
persuading anyone and everyone to watch Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Loved reading about these early LGBTQ-oriented films that I never knew existed and about a time of bold exploration as the Weimar Republic died
Loved reading this and learning more about queer films
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The Lady’s Dressing Room (1732) BY JONATHAN SWIFT Five hours
(and who can do it less in?) By haughty Celia…
but this Littlefield review has convinced me to make the purchase
your comments reek of what is wrong in today's society and also if entitlement
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by Alex Q. Arbuckle(opens in a new tab)
August Landmesser (circled) refuses to salute during the launching of the Horst Wessel
Germany held a ceremony to launch its latest sailing vessel
named for a Nazi activist who was killed by communists in 1930 and treated as a martyr as part of party propaganda
The event was headlined by a speech from Deputy Führer Rudolf Hess with Adolf Hitler at his side
Wessel’s mother christened the ship with a bottle of champagne
and the assembled crowd of workers and onlookers gave an enthusiastic Nazi salute
August Landmesser was 26 years old when he stood in the crowd with his arms defiantly and conspicuously crossed
He had joined the Nazi party in 1931 with the hope it would lead to a job
but he was expelled from the party when in 1935 he became engaged to a Jewish woman
Image: Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images
When they tried to escape to Denmark in 1937
and August was charged with “dishonoring the race.” Though he was initially acquitted
he was soon arrested again and sent to the Börgermoor concentration camp
She was moved from one concentration camp to another
and ultimately killed at the Bernburg Euthanasia Centre in February 1942
He worked for a freight company for two years before being drafted into a penal battalion and killed in action in Croatia
Ingrid and Irene were placed in an orphanage and later split up
Ingrid went to live with her maternal grandmother and Irene bounced around foster families
was transferred to the United States Coast Guard and rechristened Eagle
she is today the only commissioned sailing vessel actively serving in the U.S
The USCGC Eagle sails into New York harbor for bicentennial celebrations
Wolfgang Wild
Alex Q. Arbuckle
Kindertransport: A desperate effort to save children from the Holocaust
The old-school lumberjacks who felled giant trees with axes
Antique mourning jewelry contained the hair of the deceased
Rosie the Riveter IRL: Meet the women who built WWII planes
The streets of 1970s New York City: A decade of urban decay
grief at the scene of John Lennon's murder
This WWII women's dorm was the hippest spot in town
Rarely seen images from the Walt Disney Archives
black gold: When oil derricks loomed over California beaches
Chicago in ruins: The unimaginable aftermath of the Great Fire of 1871
This plant uses everything that lands in the bio-waste bin to generate environmentally-friendly biogas – and thus sustainable energy
Climate-neutral energy source also increases independence from natural gas
By treating the biogas resulting from bio-waste digestion
the plant produces around 21,000 megawatt hours of biomethane each year
Biomethane is a renewable energy form and a fully-fledged
climate-neutral substitute for natural gas
compared with full composting of the bio-waste without generating energy the bio-waste anaerobic digestion plant in Bernburg saves around 7,400 tonnes of CO2
That is roughly equivalent to the impact of converting 2,200 households to green electricity and around 300 households to green heat
The biogas plant in Bernburg is therefore making a major contribution both to increasing our independence of fossil gas supplies and to protecting the climate
Major contribution to sustainable circular economy
Another benefit of the forward-looking combination of bio-waste digestion and biogas production is this: The state-of-the-art plant can process around 33,000 tonnes of bio-waste a year
the digestion process also produces a ferment residue that
can be put to valuable use in solid or liquid form in agriculture
MVV is making a major contribution to building a sustainable circular economy and sparing the ever scarcer resources of our planet
the plant also increases disposal and supply reliability and boosts the regional economy
Project Number 67K12911 KSI: Construction of a new low-emission bio-waste anaerobic digestion plant in Bernburg (Saale)
With its National Climate Protection Initiative (KSI)
the Federal Ministry for the Environment has since 2008 launched and supported numerous projects that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Its programmes and projects cover a broad range of climate protection activities: From developing long-term strategies through to providing specific assistance and investment funding
This variety guarantees a range of good ideas
The National Climate Protection Initiative has helped to promote climate protection on a local level
local authorities and educational facilities
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Pour yourself a whiskey and snuggle up for this lez classic
I have a confession to make: before starting this column
I had only seen about 2 classic lesbian films
When I admitted this to my fellow GO coworkers
Two of them quickly listed off at least 10 films I needed to watch right away
I rapidly wrote down the titles (for research
I want to take you all along with me in my quest to review all of the lesbian classics through my Millennial queer lens. Last week, I reviewed the coming of age film “Pariah.”
I watched the first ever lesbian film made in Germany in 1931
I got home from work and cuddled up with my dog to watch a lesbian classic
I didn’t know what film to choose from (my list is long as I haven’t seen so many amazing queer films)
The very first lesbian film was made in 1931 Germany
I’d heard of the film before but couldn’t believe that it was made in 1931
“Mädchen in Uniform” translates in English to “Girls in Uniform” and the film has been made multiple times. I decided to stick with the original, which is based off of the 1930 play “Gestern und heute” (Yesterday and Today) by Christa Winsloe which supposedly has a much stronger lesbian plot-line than the film I watched
I poured myself an eggnog whiskey and snuggled up for this pivotal lesbian film
with the lead character Manuela von Meinhardis transitioning into a brand new boarding school after the death of her mother
This was a time when discipline and rules was a standard at this school
But soon after becoming acclimated to this new environment
Most of the girls at the boarding school are around 14-years-old and even though this film was made in 1931 — it shows that the teen experience is relatable through the decades
The girls bond as they brush each others’ hair
and talk about their unified crush on teacher Fräulein von Bernburg
This is brought up in the most blasé of ways — like it’s totally normal to have same-sex attraction (which of course it is
but this portrayal was shocking for a film made in 1931)
Manuela finds her crush on Bernburg to grow in intensity more so than her peers
And the pivotal “lesbian moment” in the film happens when Bernberg goes around kissing each of the girls goodnight on their foreheads
and when she gets around to Manuela she plants one on her lips
Manuela dramatically falls into her arms and you can see
the young girl is infatuated with this older woman
I wonder if this is where the stereotypical student/teacher lesbian romance storyline came from — or if there were books predating this that set the stage
this was a risqué and transgressive film to be released in 1931 — especially in pre-Nazi Germany right before Hitler took power and WWII began
you get to experience Manuela’s first love and all of the intense and dramatic feelings that come with the experience
And while they never mention queerness or even the word lesbian — there are undertones of Manuela’s coming out process and Bernburg’s understanding of the young girls’ experience
I was definitely nervous about this romantic crush between Manuela and her (much) older teacher being weird or creepy — the way Bernburg maneuvered the situation was actually very kind
She knew that Manuela had feelings for her and she gently and compassionately talked to the teen about her feelings
It seemed to me that Bernburg was a lesbian herself and wanted to help Manuela as she processed her feelings
all while making sure nothing *actually* happened (besides the goodnight kiss)
I think that Manuela was seeking affirmation and love from Bernburg in part because she just lost her mother and Bernburg was a kind and nurturing woman to her
The climax happens when Manuela and her peers are celebrating after they just put on a play for the headmistress and her friends
The girls are drinking a boozy punch and getting tipsy together while dancing
Manuela decides to make a proclamation of her love for Bernburg and let the girls know that she thinks it might be requited by Bernburg
Just as she is shouting this out for her peers to know — the headmistress walks in
Manuela is swiftly punished and sent to a solitary corridor
she tells the nurse “I can’t even think straight.” I chuckled to myself
wondering if that was a sneaky way to let the audience know she was coming out
you watch Manuela prepare to throw herself off of the stairwell in fear of isolation from her peers and in fear of never seeing Bernburg again
While Bernburg is getting scolded by the headmistresses
she has a telepathic moment with Manuela — which is like the gayest thing ever…and so romantic
I’m pretty sure we’ve all felt that connection with someone we’ve loved
Manuela is rescued by her peers who then protest against the headmistress by showing her how unjust she’s treating them all
It’s a powerful ending and statement to be made
Fraulein von Bernburg: You must come to your senses
Fraulein von Bernburg: You’re not allowed to love me… so much
In 1932, the New York Times reviewed the film and said: “It is actually more of a rap on the knuckles for the militaristic notions than an exposition of unnatural affection.”
The film made subtle but strong messages of progress and compassion and feminine power
The film has only women actresses and was written by Christa Winsloe
directed by Leontine Sagan with artistic direction from Carl Froelich
Froelich was the only man involved in the production of this film
That is something that rarely happens in Hollywood today
This film holds historical importance for so many reasons — it is the first display of lesbian affection on the big screen
It normalizes same-sex attraction and delves into the emotions behind a first love
The snow was starting pile up in my backyard as I shut my laptop — and I found myself feeling a strong sense of appreciation for the history of my community and the women
trans and nonbinary folks who have pushed society forward towards love and compassion for our nuanced experiences
Corinne Kai is the Managing Editor and resident sex educator at GO Magazine. You can listen to her podcast Femme, Collectively just stalk her on Instagram
Directed by a woman and without a single man in the cast
Mädchen in Uniform marked the way out ahead for queer cinema in its groundbreaking exploration of lesbian desire at a girls’ boarding school
Leontine Sagan’s Mädchen in Uniform (1931) is a remarkable film in many respects – first and foremost in that it was produced at all
Not only was a female filmmaker at the helm (directing an all-female cast
but it is also one of the first truly significant queer films ever made
Despite several decades of censorship and suppression
it survived to become an enduring touchstone for generations of queer filmgoers
and the tropes and themes the film established came to define much of the LGBTIQ+ fiction and film that followed in its wake
the very first explicitly and politically queer-themed feature had also been a German production: Anders als die Andern (Different from the Others) (1919)
A well-intentioned but slightly creaky morality play
the film had been co-written by sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld
whose Berlin-based Institute for Sexual Science had partly funded the production
Thanks to the tireless work of Hirschfeld and others
Germany (and Berlin in particular) had become something of a LGBT mecca
engendering a cultural climate conducive to an emergent queer cinema’s first baby-steps
But whereas Anders als die Andern had presented the plight of poor Conrad Veidt in a sympathetic but straightforwardly polemical fashion
Mädchen in Uniform would consciously shift on-screen queerness further into the realm of the intimate and the sensual
as she is unwillingly shipped off to a stiflingly repressive all-girls boarding school
Manuela immediately finds herself at odds with the militaristic discipline demanded by the school’s hard-hearted headmistress
Fräulein von Nordeck zur Nidden (Emilia Unda)
It seems the institution has little to offer Manuela until she is introduced to one of her teachers
the striking Fräulein von Bernburg (Dorothea Wieck)
Fräulein von Bernburg values compassion and even ‘love’ in teaching as much as she does discipline – so much so that
“all the girls have a crush on Fräulein von Bernburg.”
Sensing that Manuela is in need of a nurturing
maternal presence (she lost her mother as a young child)
Fräulein von Bernburg seems to lavish special care and attention on her new charge
Manuela soon becomes infatuated with her teacher
an adolescent rumbling that is galvanised into a full-blown crush in the film’s most iconic scene
Manuela witnesses a bedtime ritual peculiar to Fräulein von Bernburg’s dormitory: the teacher sends each of her students off to sleep with a gentle peck
With Manuela last in line to receive her goodnight kiss
director Leontine Sagan suffuses the sequence with a queasy
By the time Fräulein von Bernburg reaches Manuela’s bed
Sagan has brought the sequence to a fever pitch
the crescendo: not a kiss on the forehead or the cheek
romantic; not only in its text but also in its form
close-ups of a forlorn Manuela (reminiscent of Carl Dreyer’s famous close-ups in his 1928 silent film The Passion of Joan of Arc)
to its use of dissolves that imply an almost psychic connection between student and teacher
Sagan’s direction often emphasises the ineffable over the material
Although it’s undoubtedly a socially conscious film – it ends with a fairly unmissable plea for tolerance and understanding – it deftly obfuscates its political goals with this palpably hormonal depiction of young love
What’s even more impressive is the way it seems to have been consciously constructed to reflect a universal experience (the pangs and pain of a teenage crush) without ever losing sight of the narrative’s queer specificity
The question of whether or not Manuela’s feelings for Fräulein von Bernburg are reciprocated is left ambiguous
just as the moral quandaries that this would raise are left unexplored
words like ‘homosexuality’ never appear in Mädchen in Uniform
The waters of Manuela and her classmates’ burgeoning sexualities are continually muddied; it might initially seem that the sapphic camaraderie and talk of crushes on teachers are merely for the lack of boys
But when Manuela tipsily announces her love for Fräulein von Bernburg after her rousing
cross-dressed performance in the school play
the stunned silence of her peers makes it clear that a taboo has been transgressed
the true nature and depth of Manuela’s feelings are unmistakable
as is her fear of how they might dictate the course of her life
The phenomenon that Mädchen in Uniform manages most effectively to elucidate is the extent to which a certain degree of homosocial affection had been expected and overlooked in the context of youthful
these feelings were not permitted to ‘mean’ anything
opines headmistress von Nordeck zur Nidden to a fellow faculty member
“and god willing mothers of soldiers too.” It’s easy to imagine this exploration of society’s restriction of sapphic impulses to a particular stage of life resonating with both openly queer women and those who
had felt compelled to understand themselves as straight
unable to find video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvaE2SPvwfE
and the UK’s lead organisation for film and the moving image
and the tropes and themes the film established came to define much of the LGBTIQ+ fiction and film that followed in its wake.
whose Berlin-based Institute for Sexual Science had partly funded the production.
Mädchen in Uniform would consciously shift on-screen queerness further into the realm of the intimate and the sensual
Fräulein von Nordeck zur Nidden (Emilia Unda)
“all the girls have a crush on Fräulein von Bernburg.”
an adolescent rumbling that is galvanised into a full-blown crush in the film’s most iconic scene
Manuela witnesses a bedtime ritual peculiar to Fräulein von Bernburg’s dormitory: the teacher sends each of her students off to sleep with a gentle peck. With Manuela last in line to receive her goodnight kiss
and the unsaid over the permissible.
What’s even more impressive is the way it seems to have been consciously constructed to reflect a universal experience (the pangs and pain of a teenage crush) without ever losing sight of the narrative’s queer specificity
words like ‘homosexuality’ never appear in Mädchen in Uniform
as is her fear of how they might dictate the course of her life
nor could they be carried into womanhood.
had felt compelled to understand themselves as straight
By Wendy Mitchell2015-09-15T18:47:00+01:00
Icelandic filmmaking veteran Fridrik Thor Fridriksson returns to Toronto with Horizon
which he directed alongside photographer and budding filmmaker Bergur Bernburg
is about influential Icelandic landscape painter Georg Gudni Hauksson
When Fridriksson ran a Reykjavik art gallery decades ago
he first met the young painter. For the new film
who had been planning a project about Gudni after interviewing him in the 2000s
is seen explaining his philosophies of life and art in archival interviews that were done for different projects
This archival material is interwoven with looks at his paintings
art historians and Gudni appreciators such as Viggo Mortensen
Horizon sales are handled by Fridrikson’s own Icelandic Film Corporation; the Iceland-Denmark production is backed by the Icelandic Film Centre
Fridriksson and Bernburg also produce the film alongside Bill Rathje and Magnús Árni Skúlason
who was Oscar nominated in 1992 for Children of Nature
has been to Toronto with a slew of past films including Mama Gogo in 2010
Bernburg: We met in 1991 and had done some smaller projects together
In 2012 we started talking about the possibilities
and trying to figure what material was around
Together we created a different approach to the project
he seemed very open in talking about his work
But he was very clear when he did talk about his work
Bernburg: When he saw you were really interested in his work
How does this film reflect the art he made
Very specifically in the Icelandic film industry
many Icelandic films have used the landscape too much and people stop following the story and are distracted by the landscape
Bernburg: He says at one point in the movie that he has to know the landscape before he can paint it…one of the issues we had with the movie is that we didn’t want to tell people what he was painting
Like he says you want to reflect on your own thoughts
Why does his work mean something special to each of you
Bernburg: It’s also interesting for his take on things
When he explains his attitude towards things
Fridriksson: Usually people don’t like to go out when it’s windy and rainy
but that’s something in common with my films and his paintings
I started to appreciate so-called ‘nasty weather’ and turn it into beauty
A valley full of fog is more beautiful than one that is clear
How did you make sure the score by Kjartan Hólm (a touring member of Sigur Ros) didn’t overwhelm the images
Bernburg: It was important that it didn’t overpower…It’s a little like cooking
it’s not so difficult to make a hot chili con carne so the meat disappears
But here the raw material is very delicate
And if you cook too many ingredients together it might be a mess
why did you want to collaborate on this film
Fridriksson: When I saw the material they already had
I saw a great potential… This stuff really touched me
it was almost like Gudni was alive. He was a lovely man
Are you hoping more people will discover his art through this film
Fridriksson: I think for art students now it’s very important to see this film
Bernburg: The horizon isn’t really anything
It’s depending on your own mood and maybe the lighting in the room
there is a lot of space left for the visitor to bring his own ideas
Monday’s statement to reporters follows Truth Social
The posting on Trump’s Truth Social platform is sending shockwaves around the world
US industry frantically working out possible next steps
Read Screen International’s daily magazines from the Toronto International Film Festival here
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New hf/f/s machines at a new plant fill medical solutions into the bags
An unusual hf/f/s machine (above) is shown running at the equipment supplier?s facility
The machine was scheduled for shipmentAs this magazine went to press
Serum-Werk Bernburg AG began filling intravenous medical solutions into a new plastic bag structure
Germany-based maker of human and veterinary medical products is reportedly the first company worldwide to use a material called Propyflex® in rollstock form for IV bags used by hospitals
Propyflex was developed by Sengewald Verpackungen GmbH
Sengewald is owned by Pactiv Inc.(Lake Forest
Packaging World is told there are no U.S.-based users of the material yet
The 200-micron (8-mil) Propyflex film is a three-layer coextrusion containing an outer layer of pharmaceutical-grade homopolymer polypropylene/a blend of PP and styrene
butadiene and styrene (SEBS)/a blend of PP and SEBS
Sengewald began manufacturing Propyflex in May
using new equipment that it prefers not to identify
equipped with two new horizontal form/fill/seal machines
The Model FFS 773 hf/f/s machines come from Plumat Maschinenbau
Serum-Werk is the first company to use this particular model
which produces Propyflex bags from rolls of tubular film rather than more conventional flat film
The machines were scheduled for delivery in late December to Serum-Werk's new 1길 sq m (5곙 sq') Bernburg plant
One machine produces IV bags with a single tube port; the other bags with two ports
Serum-Werk will fill the bags primarily with saline
Hospitals can use one port to deliver the solution to the patient while a second port can be used by medical personnel to infuse drugs into the solution
Serum-Werk will sell the bags to hospitals in Germany
fill and seal the Propyflex material into four different bag/product sizes: a 5.3" x 5.9" bag for 250 mL of solution; a 5.3" x 7.9" bag for 500 mL; a 5.3" x 11.4" for 1-L; and a 7.9" x 11.8" bag for a 2-L size
The bags will be used for 25 different medical liquids
managing director for Human Products at Serum-Werk
Schmuck discussed the project with PW after we learned of this application at Pack Expo in Chicago in November
"Using the Propyflex bag is a strategy that focuses on getting new business," says Schmuck
"Each machine has the capacity to produce three million bags a year if we run one eight-hour shift
So that's six million bags for the two machines
we expect to sell two-and-a-half to three million bags in our first year." Schmuck anticipates volume will be strong enough in the near future to make in-house form/fill/sealing more cost-effective than having an outside firm fill pre-made bags
Propyflex bags have several attributes that benefit Serum-Werk
much like the soft polyvinyl chloride bags Serum-Werk and other IV bagmakers sell
They also function like traditional bags and include a hanger hole
But they don't use plasticizers that make soft PVC bags flexible
plasticizers could potentially migrate into the medical solution
the material in the Propyflex structure doesn't carry PVC's perceived environmental disadvantages
The new structure also protects against water vapor loss
which is the key barrier concern for these IV solutions
the bags could lose water and become unsellable," Schmuck says
he says the company saves about 10 Pfennig/bag
Those savings help make the Propyflex material less costly than the PVC/PE combination
"The new structure is more economical," confirms Schmuck
The managing director points out that the decision to use Propyflex was made to add to the company's sales of IV solutions
Schmuck intimates that Serum-Werk wanted to build its sales of these products in plastics
Serum-Werk investigated other bag alternatives but considered those either too rigid to collapse well or too difficult to see through
The company also believes the new bags empty the solutions more easily than other non-PVC alternatives that Serum-Werk considered
"Propyflex is transparent and a hospital worker can look at the bag and immediately see how much fluid is in the bag
or if anything is wrong with the contents," says Schmuck
"Another important advantage is that the bag collapses well
Sengewald ships rollstock of film in lay-flat tubular form to Serum-Werk
Both L-shaped Plumat machines operate in much the same fashion
Each hf/f/s machine produces three bags at a time
A frame holds three separate stands for three rolls of film
The film is electric motor-driven in a horizontal plane
Film is driven past a printing station where a hot-foil stamper imprints the name of the solution
usage instructions and a number that indicates the solution is approved by the German government
film passes by a welding station that heat-seals two areas across the web
or leading area that's sealed becomes the top of the bag
While the seal is made completely across the bottom
a small area is left unsealed at the top to accommodate the insertion of a tube (or two tubes) downstream
a small hanger hole is also punched out of the film
which is opened by both a mechanical device and vacuum
Each bag passes through a transfer station where it continues at a right angle through the rest of the f/f/s process
This section of the machine includes a racetrack-like conveyor to which are mounted numerous "holding pins." Pins are mounted in sets of two to accommodate bags with either one or two tubes
Sengewald says the tubes are made by a third party under a licensing arrangement with Sengewald
The material combines an inner layer of ethylene vinyl acetate and an outer layer identified only as a special blend of PP and elastomer
the tube material is cut into the appropriate length
The bag samples PW received had tubes measuring about 21/4" L
The opening at the top of each bag is placed onto the pair of tube-carrying pins
The tube (or tubes) is then heat-sealed in the bag
about 5/8" of the tube is sealed in the bag
Six tubes are sealed to six bags simultaneously
The Plumat machine that inserts two tubes for each bag uses a second tube sealing station
grippers deliver the bags to filling stations
The first station fills half the solution into the bags
which are then indexed to a second station for the final 50% of the fill
the tube is closed off with the application of a polycarbonate/rubber stopper
Grippers release the bags onto a conveyor where they're placed in trays for autoclave sterilization
Sterilized bags are subsequently removed from trays by a robotic system before they're case-packed
Bags are sold to and stored by hospitals at ambient temperatures and can be held for up to two years
two new hf/f/s lines and new film structure represent a serious investment by Serum-Werk
How does the company justify the financial outlay
These bags give us a good way to compete with bottles and provide an alternative for PVC bags."
It is believed that some of the risk taken by the company was offset by financial assistance from the government
A Sengewald representative says this financial aid helps stimulate new investments in the former East Germany
Serum-Werk "has shown the new bag at different exhibitions and sales meetings
and the feedback we've received from the market has been positive," says Schmuck
He indicates that some customers have said they will likely switch from bottles or PVC bags to this structure as it becomes available
While Schmuck doesn't want the Propyflex bags to cannibalize current PVC bag sales
he's aware that environmental concerns may eventually result in the new structure replacing PVC bags
Serum-Werk is working to sell the bags not only in its home country