A brief English abstract of bbb 2006...

Unfortunately we can not provide a full translation of all bbb2006 texts and film descriptions. But as film abstracts are partially in English or available on the web you won't be lost. Nevertheless, abstracts of the bbb non-film events are provided.

Welcome to bbb 2006!

So far, balkan black box is the only German festival for film, music, exhibition, literature and debates from and about Southeastern Europe. The post-socialist Balkan states represent for a high number of people still a „black box“, i.e. the inside world of these countries seems to be mysterious. The festivals' major concern is thus to open this box and to present the Balkans in a differentiated and, sometimes, polemical way.

Highlights 2006: More than 40 films, five international competitions, different film topics and panorama-sections provide a representative spectrum of the Southeastern European film production. The scope of music events has is much more focussed and includes highlights of different musical genres: ethno jazz (Martin Lubenov & friends), non-ethnic jazz (Zoran Terzic), ethno clubsounds (BucovinaClub & BalkanBeats) as well as universal electro rock (Lira Vega).

The bbb thematical emphasis:

• „Areas of remembering“ („Erinnerungsräume“) wants to retrieve the fascination of individual remembrance as well as areas of rememberance in the daily life through its own visual language and new perspectives on the past century. (further >>)
• Regional focus Kosovo: Currently, the future status of the Kosovo is negotiated by the international community in Vienna. That is why bbb deals with this region by showing films and presents various discussions about it. („Somebody has a plan?“, „Self-determination for all?“; „Hat jemand einen Plan?“, „Selbstbestimmungsrecht für alle?“)

bbb backstage: In order to handle the amount of balkan black box input, we offer two organisational courtesies: the bbb festival pass including all events and the bbb meeting point in one of our locations, the ACUD.

Partners and donors: The festival would not take place without the support of the Kulturamt Pankow, the cooperation partners and all supporters who we would like to thank. Follow the link and you will find all its names listed.

Programme

balkan black box meeting point@ACUD Kantina
daily from 4 pm, lunch at 4 pm (lunch for 2-3 EUR)

The bbb meeting point invites – to the black market of ideas of festival guests, organizers and visitors. You may either join us in person for a coffee or online. YUke-box music and projections frame the audiovisual texture of the meeting point. Festival cards (entry tickets covering the whole festival) are available here. Internet and a facility to view the festival films at any time are provided for guests accredited to the festival.

Friday, 17.11.2006, 5 pm, ACUD Gallery, open daily 2-9 pm.
Opening of the exhibition „Balkan Memory – Visual Commemorative Rooms of Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow“
with Aleksandar Zograf + Gordana Basta (cartoons and embroidery), Dijana Tomik Radevska (video installation), Philine v. Oppeln (portraits and interviews), Vlado Velkov (publicity campaign „Germama“)

The exhibition focuses on the individuality of memories in the context of current historicisation- and renovation processes in Southeastern Europe. Different manifestations of memories are meant to correspond with each other due to their contentual and aesthetic pursuits.

Sa., 19.11., 8pm ACUDgalerie
Saša Rakezić: "Life and comic strips" (in English language)
Slide show and stories of Saša Rakezić alias "Aleksandar Zograf" about life, the making of cartoons and the co-laboration with his wife Gordana Basta.

Friday, 17.11.2006, 9 pm babylon berlin:mitte
„Sofia Mahala – Balkan Grooves“ – Concert Martin Lubenov & Friends (Sofia/ Vienna), aftershow: dj Papa Joe (globalution.de)
Martin Lubenov ranks among the best Balkan-accordion players. His last and celebrated Berlin concert is well remembered, and now he is showing up with a new formation. Breathtaking virtuosity and the playful elegance of Balkan Roma-music with shades of swing, modern jazz, tango nuevo, salsa, and musette are on the programme. Admission 10€ 

Saturday, 18.11., 11 pm, Mudd Club
Bucovina Club meets BalkanBeats – DJ SHANTEL & DJ SOKO

Shantel, possibly the most outstanding downbeat-Balkan-dj in Europe, „pushes the audience softly, but certain the pepper up the butt. Consequence: uncontrolled flouncing on Central European dancefloors“. (laut.de) In combination with Berlin’s legendary and internationally successful BalkanBeats a dancefloor inferno is looming. Admission 8€

Sunday, 19.11., 4 pm, ACUD Gallery
Reading with Marica Bodrozic presented by Dr. Sabine Kirfel
balkan black book – poetry and prose from and about Southeastern Europe: „On the Emergence of Narrative Constructions of Identity I“

With Marica Borozic (Sun, 19.11.) and Nataly Murray (Thu, 23.11.), balkan black box presents two young authors that have one thing in common: Their works are no attempts to deal with the recent war, but center around questions of welcome and leaving, tradition and new start, family and inidividual being. Text extracts on www.balkanblackbox.de, free admission 

Monday, 20.11., 5-6 pm, Brotfabrik Kino
Opening of the exhibition „Impression ‚Out of Bosnia’“ with Alen Hebilovic
In his text-photo-space constellation Alan Hebilovic combines subjective impressions of the war in Bosnia-Hercegovina with his perception of the post-war periode, which he experienced as a contingent refugee in Germany. Admission free

Tuesday, 21.11., 7 pm, babylon:mitte
„Does anyone have a plan? The future of Kosovo“
Discussion with Izabela Kisic, Jeta Xharra, Aleksandar Mitic, Bhari Cani. Moderation: Azra Dzajic. A programme by Heinrich-Böll-Foundation 
The discussion about the future status of Kosovo, which since the acquisition of its administration by the UN in 1999 has still been a part of Serbia, has shown no final results yet. In the last months, negotiations between representatives of the Serbian an Kosovo governments have taken place in Vienna under the control of UN-faciliator Mahti Arttisari. Concerning the question of statehood, the two positions are so far apart that no consens has been achieved so far. Can a compromise still be reached by negotiation? An what do the different options debated imply for the future of Kosovo and its people?

Departing from the film programme about Kosovo, particularly the documentaries „Kosovo-Emancipation of the Albanians“ (from the „Look into the Past“-Programme of the Helsinki Comitee for Human Rights in Belgrade) and „Does anyone have a plan?“ (Balkan Investigative Reporting Network – BIRN), the current situation, possible options and their regional and international implications will be outlined and discussed by the panelists. Among them are the film directors and other guests. 

The film programme accompanying the discussion (all shows with German subtitles):

• Look into the Past: Kosovo (OmU) in the presence of Izabela Kisic
• Does Anyone Have a Plan? (OmU)

Wednesday, 22.11., 8pm, ACUDtheater
„Self-determination for everyone? The question of Kosovo and the German political left“

Discussion with Jürgen Elsässer (junge welt), Sasa Stanicic (SAV), Stefan Neumayer (AG Marxismus) und Peter Schwarz (PSG, inquired)

The politically left view on the national issue has always been a problem that caused ferocious debates. The Balkan region is a paradigm for contradictions and zigzag courses of the socialist camp. Symptomatic of the conflicts within the German left parties are polemics that found their expression in a “Junge Welt”-article titled “UCK-lobby wants support the of WASG-Berlin”, which appeared ahead of the election campaign in Berlin last May. In the discussion, the opponents will account for their positions and not only outline how the Balkan became an issue in Berlin’s election campaign, but also discuss - with regard to the severe question of the Kosovo status - the general attitude of the political left towards self-determination and national autonomy. Admission 5€/3€

Does Anyone Have a Plan? (86 min., OmU), ACUD Cinema, 6 pm (Those who see the film pay less for the panel discussion.) Reservation: 443 59 497 (discussion); 443 59 498 (film)

A choice of Berlin’s best Balkan musicians and jazz improvisers present a bbb jazz jam. Piano: Zoran Terzic Bass: Derek Shirley Drums: Michael Griener & Very Special Guests. With the jam, cocktails and delicious canapés can be enjoyed. Admission 2 EUR

Thursday, 23.11., 7 pm, ACUD Gallery
Nataly Murray reading, presented by Michael Mäde
balkan black book – „Poetry and prose from and about Southeastern Europe: On the emergence of narrative constructions of identity II“

(see description Sun, 19.11 and www.balkanblackbox.de)

Friday, 24.11., 7 pm, Tachales Gallery
Finissage: VIVISECTfest (Novi Sad) – „My Enemies: Xenophobia and Nationalism“

The exhibition displays visual documents presenting the siblings racism and nationalism in different ways: Graffitis of Dutch UNPROFOR soldiers in the former „protection zone“ Srebrenica (Tarik Samarah: „Graffiti“); documents of desecration of graves, scribblings and hooligans (News paper Dnevnik and Magyar Szo: „At The Beginning Of A New Century“.) The last Vivisect exhibition became itself an object of nationalist hate („Anno Domini 2002“).

Racism flourishes in Germany, too – with severe consequences. The VIVISECTfest crew – in cooperation with some local initiatives from Berlin – sheds light on the situations in both countries, Serbia and Germany. Admission free

Saturday, 25.11., 7 pm, babylon berlin:mitte
bbb award ceremony!

presentation of the „golden black box“, the „newcomer“ prize and the „human rights award“

The bbb festival amounts in a true fireworks of film awards. The „golden black box“ will be awarded to each, the best feature-, doc-, and short film. For the first time, bbb grants also a prize for the best up-and-coming film maker – the „newcomer“ prize. Due to the efforts by „Offener Kanal Berlin“ (OKB), the „human rights award“ will be awarded for the best film on human rights in 2006 for the first time.

Lira Vega – a shooting star of Belgrade’s current music scene – promises intelligent indie rock between avant-garde and naivety, with stylistic excursions into Belgrade’s Caribbean. The unconventional performance by Zoja Borovcanin gives each song a new face - from cute to cruel.

Dj Sero - the master of ceremony, who makes even clubbers in Zagreb discover the soul of the Balkans, gives as good as he gets – or as long as there is enough Rakija around. Bring your own towel. Admission 8 EUR