by Aurola Győrfy // Jan. 30, 2024
The 19th edition of Forum Expanded is set to take place between February 15th and 25th. During the Berlinale film festival, Forum Expanded presents 21 films from 21 countries that put communities and their challenges in the spotlight, while exploring how communities adapt to survive and reveal hidden networks through everyday objects. The individual works show relationships that defy social norms, inspiring solidarity and hope.
The Forum and Forum Expanded are dynamic platforms of the Berlinale, organized by Arsenal – Institute for Film and Video Art, which aim to push the boundaries of cinema and promote socio-artistic dialogue. Through a varied selection of contemporary and historical films, installations, performances and music, they redefine cinematic norms and encourage new perspectives on the medium. These programs prioritize artistic integrity over commercial viability and serve as a laboratory for innovative cinematic expression. Forum presents around 40 international films each year, blurring the boundaries between fiction and documentary, while Forum Expanded offers an inclusive space for interdisciplinary film formats. Together, they create a discourse that resonates internationally, shaping the future of cinema with each edition.
Elysa Wendi: ‘Room 404,’ 2024 // Copyright Łódź Film School / Visual Narrative Laboratory vnLab
Dance artist and filmmaker Elysa Wendi is based between Singapore and Hong Kong. Her cinematic style delves into the nature of memory, and the abstraction of time, meanwhile, Lee Wai Shing, independent filmmaker, is renowned for his improvisational and experimental video editing style. In their movie ‘Room 404’—featured in this year’s Forum Expanded program—Wendi and Shing find themselves confined in a Hong Kong hotel during a relentless typhoon. Isolated and influenced by the city’s social movement, they ponder the filmmaker’s role in tumultuous times. Being cut off from the outside world provides a metaphorical space for introspection and self-reflection. The pair explore the psychological and emotional impact of isolation on the human psyche, especially in the context of ongoing social movements within the city. Against the backdrop of turbulent times, the characters are forced to confront existential questions and grapple with their sense of purpose and agency as filmmakers. The film delves into the complexities of artistic expression in times of crisis, highlighting the power of creativity and resilience in navigating adversity.
Also focusing on times of crisis, ‘barrunto,’ directed by Emilia Beatriz and included in the program, encompasses strategies for mourning environmental feelings of loss and crisis, and efforts to save Scottish bees, while advocating for accessible art through translation. Emilia Beatriz, a Puerto Rican artist and beekeeper based in Glasgow, mixes writing and performance to depict intertwining narratives of bodies and land. Their artistic practice is grounded in the rich traditions of oral histories, community archiving and collaborative efforts. Set against the backdrop of a speculative future, ‘barrunto’ unfolds within a present characterized by ruptures, weaving a web of connections that span from the shores of Puerto Rico to the landscapes of Scotland and beyond, offering insights into the interplay between human existence and the natural world.
Emilia Beatriz: ‘barrunto,’ 2024 // Copyright Emilia Beatriz
The short documentary ‘detours while talking about monsters,’ directed by Deniz Şimşek in collaboration with Mónica Martins Nunes, weaves a loaded web of politics, memory and family dynamics into a narrative. The film immerses viewers in a landscape where political undercurrents are palpable. Deniz is a Berlin-based filmmaker and media artist who are searching for the possible links between moving image and written word. In her work, the emphasis is on exploring the overlap of fiction and documentary, mixing the personal and the socio-cultural in connection with gender, identity and memory.
Deniz and Emin Şimşek: ‘detours while speaking of monsters,’ 2024 // Copyright Deniz Şimşek
In its 19th edition, Forum Expanded’s selected works and installations will be screened in the temporary cinema in the Betonhalle at silent green, as part of the 74th Berlinale 2024. For the first time, the main hall of the underground Betonhalle will host a 260-seat cinema for the screenings, replacing the usual group exhibition. Installations will remain part of the Forum Expanded program this year, however, with works installed in the adjacent rooms of the Betonhalle. Forum Expanded is curated by Ala Younis and Ulrich Ziemons, as well as Karina Griffith and Shai Heredia.
Additional Info
Berlinale Forum Expanded
‘Distant Connections’
Festival: Feb. 15–25, 2024
arsenal-berlin.de/forum-forum-expanded
silent green, Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, click here for map
