Courage for utopia: Exground Film Festival Wiesbaden is starting soon!

Courage for utopia: Exground Film Festival Wiesbaden is starting soon!

The 38th Exground Film Festival in Wiesbaden promises an exciting week full of cinematic highlights with a clear focus: “Courage for Utopia”. From November 14th to 23rd, selected films will be shown at various locations in Wiesbaden and at the Pupille Kino Frankfurt, including works that deal with social issues and innovative narrative forms.

A special highlight that will open the festival is the film “Memory of Princess Mumbi”. The creative mind behind this project is 24-year-old Damien Hauser, a Swiss citizen of Kenyan origin. His story unfolds in the year 2073 in a fictional African village state, where Princess Mumbi is born and dies in the year 2099 while filming her own film. Hauser's film takes a critical look at humanity's collective depression revealed by AI-generated images and films, and paints a picture of an analog world that needs to be restored after bloody conflicts.

Innovative approaches in film

The film uses impressive AI images as background projections, encouraging viewers to think about the future of their reality. Mumbi's story is shaped not only by the history of her country, but also by the challenges we experience in an increasingly digitalized world. The FAZ emphasizes that the festival offers a platform for such social issues and thus creates a connection to current social issues.

Another notable contribution is made by Alina Cyranek, who addresses the serious issue of domestic violence against women in her experimental documentary “Facades” and uses innovative cinematic means. There is also Anders Thomas Jensen's film "Therapy for Vikings", which deals with a different but equally deep topic: coping with trauma, even in the most unexpected moments of life.

Venues and logistical challenges

The charming Caligari cinema, which normally serves as the main venue, cannot be used due to delays in fire safety renovations. For this year's edition of the festival, the Apollo Kinocenter and the Museum Wiesbaden were chosen as replacement venues, although they only have a limited number of seats.

Particular attention will also be paid to the films “The Librarians” and “Bidad” by Iranian director Soheil Beiraghi, which deal with the themes of censorship and persecution and give viewers insights into the fate of artists in repressive regimes. These films are an important reminder of how art can hold its own even in difficult times.

The festival, which celebrates creative independence and the courage for utopia, is also shown at international festivals. It is an opportunity for all film enthusiasts to delve deeply into the topics and at the same time experience the diversity of independent film.

One more reason to mark the dates in your calendar and be there when the cinemas in Wiesbaden open a new chapter! Those interested can also find further information on the festival website.