Music is constitutive for our identity, it expresses zeitgeist, emotion, and
lifestyle. Therefore, it is relevant who exactly is responsible for which part of it. Still,
more often than not it is hard to identify who composes, writes, produces, and eventually
performs. Even more so, the who’s who between artist and private person remains speculation at
best. Sometimes already, machines synthesize the musical product. Perhaps in the future, their
algorithms will autonomously produce and perform for us. Does it even matter, as long as it
feels authentic? (Thorsten Wagner)
Patrick Cowley was a pioneer of electronic music. His influence on the 70s and 80s disco-sound was substantial, despite his early death and correspondingly short discography. PATRICK deals mainly with his absence today. The film visits his workplaces. A region, studios, and archaic-looking machines, mute witnesses of a brief epoch. One of his contemporaries is also present, giving first-hand accounts of him. Additionally, articles and other papers document the once very lively existence of Patrick Cowley; and, of course, his music, with tracks like "kickin in" spreading the vibe to this day.… >>>
Premiere:
German Premiere
Wendy Carlos is one of the female pioneers of electronic music. She gained public recognition especially through her composition of original soundtracks for "Shining," "Clockwork Orange," and "Tron." VALENTINA is a performative homage to her. The artist Valentina Formenti performatively re-stages an interview Wendy Carlos gave to Playboy in 1979. The focus is on the parts of the interview that were cut and didn't make it to the print edition. While the magazine showed interest mainly the gender transformation of Wendy Carlos, hers ranged from cartography, physics, mathematical transformations and other sophisticated topics.… >>>
Premiere:
German Premiere
In 1981, Phil Collins initiated his solo-career with the single "In the Air tonight." In its course, the former drummer from Genesis transformed his image. From the working-class jokester, he advanced to be a world star of respectable format enjoying the amenities of High Society thoroughly. Meanwhile, the cryptic lyrics to the song sparked an urban legend, of which the film takes the opportunity to re-narrate an own version. In an atmospheric compilation of 80s film-footage and the rhythms of the song, the film drives towards the climax of the curious tale. As catchy as its drum solo, IN THE AIR TONIGHT tells of an inner alienation in times of unleashed neoliberalism.… >>>
- Director: Andrew Norman Wilson
In an artistic collaboration, Thies Mynther has composed an electronic piece to a poem by Jakob S. Boeskov, and together they shot a video for it. The result is an audiovisual fever dream that condenses the madness of our seemingly dystopian society into rhythms and exponentiates it in formulations. If therein the boss of a private mercenary corporation fuses with a flamboyant pop-genius, it is but a correct conclusion and part of an astute dialectic. A poetry that can frighten as much as it can delight.… >>>
- Director: Jakob S. Boeskov, Thies Mynther
In this music video for the legendary band DER PLAN, we look at the minimalist text input field of a no-frills software. We follow a communication with GPT-2, an artificial intelligence that reacts to texts by responding to their content, completing them or answering questions. In the video, it is confronted with the human desires of a machine. It likes to do drugs, enjoys nature and has sex. Most of all though, she would like to sing like Ella.… >>>
NONBINARY is a recording of an Instagram Live Performance. The artist features themself as their avatar applying makeup and visual algorithms to change its form. Simultaneously, the avatar performs a song addressing its non-binary gender identity which doesn't correspond to other’s perception of it. With the performance, the artist creates a new form of representation while questioning it.… >>>
Nominated:
A38-Production Grant Kassel-Halle
