The Berliner Schule as a Recent New Wave in German Cinema
The Berliner Schule as a Recent New Wave in German Cinema

Summary/Abstract: The Berliner Schule can be called a minor new wave of German cinema. Minor since the impact of more recent “waves” does not reach the scope of the “waves” of the 1960s and 70s, most notably, la Nouvelle Vague in France and Das Neue Kino in Germany. And still, it has most of the features associated with the earlier “waves:” it emerged in a turbulent period of time (late 1980s – early 1990s), and in many ways in opposition to the current mainstream cinema. The Berliner Schule has its aesthetic programme expressed on the pages of Revolver magazine, emphasizing the importance of creating a platform for exchange of ideas over academic-style theorizing. It cannot be called a movement in a strict sense, as the current range of filmmakers associated with the Berliner Schule is diverse enough to disagree upon many points expressed in Revolver or each other’s films. There are two “„generations” commonly associated with the Berliner Schule. The first generation mainly includes three directors, namely Christian Petzold, Angela Schanelec and Thomas Arslan. Directors such as Valeska Grisebach, Matthias Luthardt, Maria Speth, Benjamin Heisenberg, Christoph Hochhäusler, Ulrich Köhler, Henner Wickler, Maren Ade, Elke Hauk, Sylke Enders and some others are associated with the second generation. Films made by these directors feature a lot of elements associated with the “waves,” such as use of long shots, casting non-professional actors, and attention to the issues of history and memory. Yet, the notion of auteur is revised, and team work gains more importance than it did in the earlier relevant films. The Berliner Schule appears to be a vivid example of how the ideas grounded in the 1960s are manifested and transformed in today’s cinema.

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