BLONDE COBRA. FESTIVAL FOR QUEER & EXPERIMENTAL CINEMA 2019
DEC 14th & DEC 15th 2019
PROGRAM “JACK SMITH”
The first program features a short documentary by Birgit Hein showing iconic queer artist Jack Smith during a performance at the Cologne Zoo in 1974. Excerpts from the 2017 documentary ESCAPE FROM RENTED ISLAND: THE LOST PARADISE OF JACK SMITH by Jerry Tartaglia are commented and discussed in a talk between film theorist Marc Siegel (Goethe-Universität Frankfurt a.M.) and British videoartist Phil Collins (Professor at KHM, Cologne).
PROGRAM “CONFESSIONS OF AN ACTRESS”
The program CONFESSIONS OF AN ACTRESS is named after the performance by Berlin-based artist and actress Susanne Sachsse, who will give a performance. The following films will circle around the figure of the actress and the star, drawing a connection between queer desire, authenticity and fiction.
Shortfilms:
MY LAST FILM – Zia Anger, USA 2015, 9 min
AS MUCH AS ANYONE – Stefan Ramírez Pérez, GER 2017, 17 min
LIFE AFTER LOVE – Zachary Epcar, USA 2018, 8 min
HEY MADONNA – Mike Hoolboom, CAN 1999, 9’30 min
JEDEN TAG – Felix Zilles-Perels, GER 2015, 4’36 min
PLAY – Christoph Girardet & Matthias Müller, GER 2003, 7 min
PROGRAM “VOGUING BALL – HOUSE OF ST. LAURENT EUROPE”
The overall theme for the night is the movie NORMAL LOVE by Jack Smith, an experimental film that shows the adventures of an ensemble of glamorously dressed monsters. Become your own glamorous monster and be inspired by the movie’s visual cosmos serving Hollywood kitsch, exaggeration, absurdity and gender-bending characters to create your own personal look.
The House was originally founded as the first German House – The House of Melody (2012-2019) by the German Pioneer of Ballroom, Georgina Philp aka Leo. Since July 2019 the House of Melody has transformed and joined forces with the Iconic House of Saint Laurent (founded 1982 in NYC), representing the international Chapter under the leadership of the European Mother Leo Saint Laurent.
PROGRAM “THE ORNITHOLOGIST”
A film by João Pedro Rodrigues, F/BRA/POR 2017, 118 min
When the ornithologist Fernando loses his bearings and contact with the outside world while out exploring in the wilderness, he comes across two female Chinese pilgrims, men wearing spirits of the forest costumes, a deaf and dumb shepherd called Jesus and Amazonian riders. Birds observe him. The deeper he ventures into the mythical jungle and loses himself in it, the more he finds himself. A sensual film inspired by the story of Saint Anthony filmed with Cinemascope and boasting a brilliant sound design. Rodrigues’ films tell of transformations, polymorphous love and drifting identities with elliptical jumps, in parallel worlds full of fetishes and driven by the violent desire of the characters. Despite its stylistic artificiality, Rodrigues’ work is anchored in reality.
PROGRAM “AGAINST THE FUR”
The program will open with a performance by Cologne-based artist Ale Bachlechner which will transform into the short film program AGAINST THE FUR revolving around motifs of nature, resistance, activism, and exoticized views.
Shortfilms:
STUDIO HALLO #4 – Ale Bachlechner, Jonathan Kastl,
Felix Zilles-Perels, GER 2019 20 min.
PLEASE RELAX NOW – Vika Kirchenbauer, GER 2014, 12 min
PANDA MOONWALK OR WHY MENG MENG WALKS BACKWARDS – Kerstin Honeit, GER 2018, 8 min
MONIKA M. – Karin Michalski, GER 2003, 20 min
UNBOXING EDEN – NeoZoon, GER 2013, 5 min
Closing Ceremony with Cindy Moped , 15 min
Curated by Miriam Gossing, Lara Nickel, Lina Sieckmann
Camera & Trailer: Nicole Wegner
Thanks to Till Kniola & Kulturamt, Stadt Köln, Sebastian Freund & Turistarama, Georgina & House of Saint Laurent Europe, all guests and artists who participated: Thanks to Till Kniola&Stadt Köln, Sebastian Freund&Turistarama, Georgina & House of Saint Laurent Europe and all guests and artists who participated: Stefan Ramírez Pérez, Ale Bachlechner, Vika Kirchenbauer, Marc Siegel, Susanne Sachsse, Phil Collins, Felix Zilles-Perels, Matthias Müller, Christoph Girardet, Kerstin Honeit, Zachary Epcar, Mike Hoolboom, Zia Anger, NEOZOON, Birgit Hein, Karin Michalski, Cindy Moped, and the team behind the scenes: Lena Mrachacz, Lukas Soboll, Jonathan Kastl, Nicole Wegner, Chris Todd, Lenny Streit, Felix Bartke…