[Festivals Stories] Fountainhead Tanz Théâtre, Black International Cinema Berlin
Fountainhead Tanz Théâtre, Black International Cinema Berlin
18 November > 31 December 2021
Berlin, Germany
Film, art exhibition, festival publication, television
What a difference a day in a pandemic makes! At the conclusion of our 2019 Black International Cinema Berlin (BICB) Film Festival we began our annual preparations. There were clouds gathering regarding something called Covid. As time passed, this title became more significant and warning signs developed. We discussed our approach and wrote to Dr. Lisa Rüter, Commissioner for Integration in the Tempelhof-Schöneberg district of Berlin, about our planned annual festival at Rathaus Schöneberg for May 2020.
During April, a letter arrived demanding the postponement of our May dates. We requested September or October possibilities and asked for notification in advance. As the months progressed, our postponed festival arrangements became increasingly doubtful, as the worm of Covid-19 became increasingly dominant on a local, national and international basis.
Sure enough, a letter from Dr. Rüter arrived during August 2020 stating the 35th BICB 2020, was not possible for our second planned edition. After waiting through April and August neither location nor date promises came to pass. Oh well, pandemics bring about various forms of disappointment, unfortunately.
Lo and behold, ALEX - Offener Kanal Berlin (Open Channel Berlin) rose to the occasion. For a number of years, our television production, The Collegium - Forum & Television Program Berlin - has been and is presented on ALEX in Berlin as well as Magdeburg, Wolfsburg, Dessau and Portland, Oregon USA. ALEX kindly invited us to present our international and intercultural filmmakers' artistry through their television station and streaming from 15 till 19 October 2020, evenings and mornings.
In addition, on 17 December 2020, in co-operation with ALEX, we produced a special festival edition of our intercultural magazine The Collegium live in the ALEX Berlin studio. We are grateful for the resources offered, despite the pandemic challenges facing ourselves and many other festivals on a world wide basis. Onward and upward, always!
More info: fountainhead-tanz-theatre.de
(Author: Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith)
(General Editor: Simon Mundy)
