• DL 2009 program magazine blog installations location map

E xperimental cinema, short films, new media art, many terms for many different ways to create art works with moving images. This world beyond cinema is more vivid than ever and for 11 days we will shed a light on the current state of art. More than 250 artists from all parts of the world will be screened. Many of them show their work for the first time in Europe, several films will be screened in world premiere. Again we hope to become much more than just a festival, a Lounge to meet like-minded folks, a club to celebrate cinema in all it´s incarnations.

Cult film director J.X. Williams will be on screen with Underworld Cinema: The Life and Work of J.X. Williams, a presentation on the “lost” works of the suppressed legend by Noel Lawrence. Williams’s résumé reads as a RKO mail-room flunky, closet Communist, abortive House Un-American Activities Committee witness, Mafia gofer, pioneer of mobbed-up stag loops, ghostwriter of some of the blacklist era’s greatest films and incidental avatar of experimental cinema. Williams, as the story goes, has spent the last quarter-century in Zurich in self-imposed exile, leaving Mr. Lawrence to serve as a Robert Maheu figure to his shadowy late-stage Howard Hughes. (NY Times)
Sunday, Feb 8th, 8 pm trailer (NY) and trailer (LA)

Fiat Lux, the latest film performace by Andreas Gogol and Telemach Wiesinger in world premiere. Based on Plato´s allegory of the cave. The Glimmer Twins of 16mm, the Foley and the Projectionist live on stage Saturday, 7th Feb, 8 pm.

Guest curators 2009 include Noel Lawrence of the J. X. Williams Archive, Edmund Piper, artist and the driving force behind the Tease art fair, Cologne and The Berliner Kunstsalon, Thomas Zandegiacomo de Bel of the Zebra Film Festival, Catherine Forster of LiveBox gallery, Chicago, Ram Devineni, head of Rattapallax NY, Marbo Becker, Rote Loge, Berlin, Daniela Butsch and Katerina Valdivia Bruch.

U rban Research on Film is an ongoing film and video screening project selected by Klaus W. Eisenlohr for Directors Lounge. Unlike modernist "city symphonies," these new works are based on exploration, on research and on discourse. The artists often focus on particular aspects rather than trying to depict the city as a whole. Urban Research comprises experimental, documentary and animated works bringing together complementary views of urban life.

Poetry and film. a winning combo throughout DL09 with highlights from the 4th ZEBRA Poetry Film Festival presented by Thomas Zandegiacomo de Bel, (Tue, Feb 10th, 8 pm), a special selection from Rattapallax, the NY based film and poetry project and several poetic pearls from the open call.

I nstallations, one channel loops from electronic paintings to computerbased presentations will be on display at the foyer. Space is limited and loops will screened in exchange. Again we will emphasize a concept of film that goes beyond the framework of the silver screen.

A nd this is just the tip of the iceberg. Many, many more specials, lectures, live events and musical gems are in the pipeline. Check back often for more or, even better, just come around and join the fun.

• The 5th Berlin International Directors Lounge will take place from 5. - 15. february, at the time of the 59th Berlin International Festival. Expect video art and experimental film from all flavors and parts of the world. Several curated programs, specials, accompanied by DJs and VJs ensure ten cosmopolitan days and nights..
Once again we will offer a hideaway, a relaxed space for filmmakers, videoartists and everybody interested in experimental forms of cinema and videoart.

• The screenings are followed by nights of music and specials. The Lounge as a club, the spot to dance the night away.

• As the name suggests – Directors Lounge will always be a meeting point, a place to have a drink and to lounge around with other friendly lizards

5 - 15th february 2009 Berlin Mitte, Friedrich Str. 112A

daily from 6 pm - open end

• We don´t want to spoil the fun, more details will be added over time.