Konfliktkulturen
("Cultures of Conflict")
Lord Dahrendorf at "Ernstfall Demokratie" ("Emergency Democracy") project at Filmmuseum Potsdam
Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten, 26 October 2005
Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung, by Hanne Landbeck, 16 November 2005
The rush of people was immense. Interested visitors stood in line next to the rows of seats; many could not be admitted. The appeal of sociologist Lord Dahrendorf, born in Berlin in 1929, is enormous. The grandseigneur of liberal political theory did justice to his reputation by delivering an informative and meaningful lecture with consummate ease. Just before the lecture, mandatory at a film museum, an "Augenzeuge" newsreel from spring 1948 had been shown: difficult housing conditions in the city ruins and orphans looking for their relatives were issues that the cinema of the pre-television era offered its audience. (...)
Probably, even citizens of this part of Germany will soon stop to expect economic welfare from democracy, since this was something it could not guarantee. According to Dahrendorf, one has to pass this "vale of tears" – but without questioning democracy. The audience acknowledged Dahrendorf′s lecture with prolonged applause. (…)

Utopia, wahrhaft freies Land
("Utopia – A Truthfully Free Country")
Writer Volker Braun reads on the occasion of "Ernstfall Demokratie" ("Emergency Democracy") project at Filmmuseum Potsdam
Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten, by Moritz Reininghaus, 26 October 2005
Schwarzenberg is a white spot on the political map of Germany in its "Stunde Null". It is May 1945. Germany has surrendered unconditionally and appears to be occupied completely. It isn′t, though. The Schwarzenberg area, located in the Erz Mountains, has been "forgotten" by both Americans and Soviets, either accidentally or in order to give German troups returning from the east the opportunity to surrender to Western allies. Be that as it may, as a matter of fact, Schwarzenberg is the only place were the population faced the unique chance of deciding upon their own fate and to "rehearse" for democracy for forty-two days. Volker Braun, along with Stefan Heym the second writer to deal with the strange occurrences near the Czech border, payed a visit to the film museum to read from his book "Das unbesetzte Gebiet" ("Unoccupied Territory"), thus making for the starting point of a startling series of events dealing with democracy in Germany.

Nicht Hollywood, niemals!
("Hollywood? Never!")
Director Ken Loach at Filmmuseum Potsdam
Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung, by Robert Rudolf, 3/4 September 2005
(...) Old-school leftist Ken Loach is one of Europe′s most outstanding idols for every filmmaker wishing to approach the often confined living conditions of the working class as closely as possible and to shed light on them in a "socially accurate" (Dresen) manner. A hero, thus, for storyteller Dresen. It was on his initiative that the film museum organised the retrospective running until September 25th. In return, Dresen is allowed to question the Briton on his life in general and some of his tricks in particular.
(...) Loach makes a film almost every year, and many of them are award-winning works. Documentary-style filmmaking has become Loach′s trademark: For the sake of one intense moment, Loach says, he is perfectly willing to jettison cinematic balance. Apart from that, he always shoots his films chronologically: Actors and amateurs don′t learn of what they are supposed to do until shortly before a scene is actually shot. "It is in somebody′s eyes, whether they are fake or following their insticts." When he says that, the speakers are crackling faintly.

Tatis Schützenfest
(Jacques Tati′s "Holiday")
Golzow chronicler Winfried Junge celebrates his birthday at Filmmuseum Potsdam
Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung, by Lothar Krone, 22 July 2005
On Wednesday evening, director Winfried Junge was given a "carte blanche" for his 70th birthday by the staff of the film museum. The symbolic ticket, entitling him to choose two films, was used by the documentarist, whose manners are usually very restrained and reserved, to request one of his own films from thirty years ago and another by a director he deeply admires: Jacques Tati.
Junge was visibly satisfied with his choice and with the fact that for once he was not confronted with the success of his "Children of Golzow" project. Although Junge has lately been given the freedom of the city of Golzow, he made it clear that the 19th film of his long-term documentary will definitely be the last one.
By the way: Congratulations!