Spirits in Residence (2009) 66 mins.
Camera: Bart Van Dijck /Music: Ann Eysermans /with Dr. Assadi, Dietlinde Peters, Karl Kraus.
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The Berlin district of Kreuzberg is known for its vibrant nightlife and politically left-oriented population, consisting mostly immigrants, musicians and artists. For some Kreuzberg is also known for the Künstlerhaus Bethanien, a massive cultural complex, offering artists from all over the world a chance to work in residency abroad.
Built between 1845 and 1847 the Bethanien building functioned for many decades as a hospital/ nunnery run by the Protestant Deaconess Sisters. However, in 1974, after scheduling to be demolished, the former hospital was transformed into the current Künstlerhaus Bethanien. Some residing artists claim that spirits of the deceased patients and former sisters still roam the vast, Neo-Gothic corridors. One of those former occupants, and perhaps the most illustrious, was actress, dancer and writer, Anita Berber, a flamboyant icon of early 20th century Berlin culture.
Fascinated by these stories the Flemish director Bart Van Dijck came to Berlin and made a remarkable portrait of the building and its various resident guests.
Besides his plastic work as a contemporary artist, Bart Van Dijck has worked for nearly 10 years on documentary films and video art.
Other films include “Belleek” (2003), “Sons of Osiris” (2004) and two other works focusing on the domain of spirituality: “Mzansi” (2005), investigating subcultures upon the African continent, and “Tuva Healing Service”, a film depicting the shamanic practices in the Siberian region of Tuva.
On August 27, the Flemish Film Director Bart van Dijck will be present and open for talk.
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www.bartvandijck.tk
www.white-rabbit-berlin.com
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august 27@gdk berlin
