PARADISE CITY
Panorama 9
In the streets and buildings of the metropolises of our world, politicians, architects and subcultures give expression to their power and ideals.
ARTWORKS
The Possibility of Utopia
JULIO SOTO (USA 2004, VIDEO, 18:20 MIN)
A series of visual interpretations of twentieth century architectural and ideological utopian experiments. This work also in corporates a visual reading of the philosophical concepts of replacement of reality by synthetic computer generated structures.
New (improved) Delhi
VANI SUBRAMANIAN (INDIA 2003, VIDEO, 6:00 MIN)
Based on a real-life experience, the film is a thinly veiled appeal to the Mr Jagmohan, Minister of Urban Affairs in charge of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. ‘New (improved) Delhi’ shows that Mr Jagmohan hasn’t earned the title of ‘Demolition Man’ for nothing!
Enterprise Paradise (Unternehmen Paradies)
VOLKER SATTEL (GERMANY 2002/3, 35MM, 58:40 MIN)
In this unusual city portrait, Berlin is not presented as a buzzing new metropolis, but as a city that goes about its business quite unexcitedly. Choosing a slow pace, this documentary grants us the privilege of observing from afar the gestures and movements of people pursuing their different activities in Berlin’s often vast and surprisingly empty urban spaces. A seemingly indifferent camera takes us to international summits, demonstrations, parades, housing estates and shopping centres. As we begin to discern the patterns of life in the city, it is as if we are witnessing a life on another planet, an impression enhanced by the film’s intricate score which provides the film’s only, yet subtle commentary.