Page 45 - Studio International - November December 1975

RETURN TO REASON

On experimental film in
West Germany and
Austria

Birgit Hein

An article on experimental film written by an engaged difficulty of comprehending the vast complex of
film-maker must necessarily be different from that of an independent films along with narrative, erotic and formal
outside critic. Right at the beginning, therefore, I must say work as a whole. Information can only be understood if
that this essay is a subjective presentation of the situation, the codes in which it is transmitted are known. 'You
determined by the position of my own work as a cannot therefore pass over to the inventive act, if you
film-maker. This applies mainly to the analysis of the have not determined beforehand the level of the code on
films. The economic situation, on the other.'7 hand, can which information develops. If you do not know the
be described rather more objectively : even today no codes, you cannot say where the invention has started.' 2
film-maker can live off his films. The system of reference for experimental film is still
We are now nearly in the same position as when we seen in the area of the feature film, which dominates the
started. Before Knokke 1967/68 experimental film did whole film system. This system is valid for short films and
not exist so far as the public was concerned, and today, experimental feature films like for example low-budget
after Knokke 1974/75, the situation is no different. The films, which led to the foundation of the New American
boom from 1968 to 1970, when about a hundred film- Cinema. It can even be valid for Anger and
makers were working, has completely waned. Most of Markopoulos. In Germany it is the group of narrative
the film-makers gave up. The remaining few are those film-makers like Praunheim, Schroeter, Kracht and in
who started film-making before 1968. In contrast to the end also Wyborny, who can be understood in
this the development of cinema in West Germany looks comparison with, and in differentiation from, the feature
very promising at first glance. While in 1968 there were film. It is no accident that their films have very quickly been
only three independent places to show films besides the bought and even produced by television. The audience
commercial outlets, there are now about seventy knew the codes which were used and could understand
organizations which work outside the usual their transformation. The film critics, although sometimes
commercial film business.' Many of them are with reservations, could still use traditional categories. So
subsidized by the communities (municipalities) and the degree of experimentation in these films can only be
do not depend on the box office. But even the subsidized measured in confrontation with the feature film. Rosa
cinemas refuse to show experimental films. Today only von Praunheim's Bettwurst, for instance, is experimental
four organizations exist which have a certain interest and in comparison with the usual entertainment feature, but
arrange screenings. rather conventional in comparison with the experimental
It is the same with festivals. The last experimental film films which are the subject of this article.
festival in Germany took place at Hamburg in 1973. Whereas the comparison with the feature film is
At the traditional film festivals like Oberhausen, legitimate as a reference system for narrative film, it
Mannheim and Berlin information programmes outside fails completely for the other.'7 area of independent film,
competition are the most that can be hoped for. Even that is, formal experimental film not built up on a
television, which presented a whole series of New narrative structure, but categorised with them only
American Cinema films in 1969/70, has completely given because the medium, as technical apparatus, is the same.
up interest. That the situation in Austria must be Films in this area are works by Nekes, Dore 0, W + B
comparable is evident because almost no information has Hein, Emigholz, Kren, Weibel, Export, Schmidt, Scheugl
come to Germany in recent years. The last international and Wyborny, who has a position in between. Their
experimental film festival was held at Innsbruck in 1972. system of reference is that of the fine arts, where artists
The exchange of information even among film-makers is work at the same problems. The common ground is work
very limited. 'No, I can't send you any material about new on an aesthetic in the visual area and the conditions of the
people, because there are none. I have not met any, material. In common are the themes of the work :
although I eagerly looked out for them. The only experience of time and space, perception as a
confrontation with native film-makers took place for me physiological and psychical problem, analysis of the
at the "Steirischer Herbst" in 1974. And this was a very process of reproduction as a reproduction of reality, and
sad affair... In the meantime I have more connections art as a statement about art.3 Thus, if we leave the
with foreign countries than at home. I often think about concept of narrative and turn to the tradition of the
moving to a foreign country, as many others have done fine arts, and the categories which are worked out here,
before ... You see, it is like living in the desert here, and it is possible to understand the films without difficulty
I also now believe that there is no public for avant-garde and see their historical development. They share the same
films ...' Thus Kurt Matt in a July 1975 letter. With his theoretical and aesthetic tradition as the fine arts,
film Wa/k he was the only Austrian film-maker within which they forma new area.
represented in competition at Knokke 1974/75. In spite of definitely belonging to the arts, experimental
Some reasons for this development in Germany and film has so far not been accepted as such in Germany.
Austria can gradually be seen. For Germany it is surely Only the films by fine artists are accepted and treated
true that many young film-makers have passed over to accordingly. The film-makers are not considered as
political work. This explains at least superficially why artists. If their films are included in art exhibitions, they
there are only a few film-makers left. But the main are only treated as an additional or supplementary
problem, the total indifference of the public, lies in my programme. You only have to remember the big
opinion in the lack of information about experimental exhibitions Documenta V in Kassel 1972 and
film. Which in turn can be explained by the fact that the Projekt '74 in Cologne and look at the catalogues.
films simply are not understood. There exists neither any From here arise the difficulties that the only two film
propaganda instrument like a magazine which galleries in West Germany, P.A.P. Munich and
concentrates on this kind of film nor sufficient literature Projection Cologne, have with the promotion of their
in the German language. But this again is only the result films. The broad development of video also plays a
of an underlying and unsolved problem, which is the role, as it is much easier to use in exhibition practice.4
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