Glossary:

Kino der Fremdheit

Language: German

lit. ‘cinema of alterity’

The German film critic Georg Seeßlen uses this term with reference to the first wave of German films about 'foreigners', mainly guest workers, who came to Germany during post-war economic boom period. The 'Kino der Fremdheit', the precursor of the 'Kino der doppelten Kulturen', includes films made by German directors such as Helma Sanders' Shirins Hochzeit (Shirin's Wedding, 1975) or Christian Ziewer's Aus der Ferne sehe ich dieses Land (I See This Land from Afar, 1978) and Rainer Werner Fassbinder's film about guest workers Katzelmacher (1969). These first German films about immigrants are well-intentioned depictions of the difficult living conditions of guest workers who are struggling to find a place in German society.

Georg Seeßlen, 'Das Kino der doppelten Kulturen' epd Film, 12, 2000

Posted by Daniela Berghahn on 29 Jan 2008 •

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