State of Longing

From February 20 to March 14, Cinematheque Ontario, in conjunction with the Goethe-Institut Toronto, presents States of Longing: Films from the Berlin School, a compelling series of 14 films (including 12 Toronto premieres) by the “new wave” of contemporary German directors. Alongside a renewed commercial industry, the Berlin School has been compared to the second nouvelle vague in France and represents a rebirth in contemporary German filmmaking. 

This fresh, uncompromising and artistically driven cinema has consistently gained steam over the last decade, influencing the international landscape of art film, and winning multiple prizes on the festival circuit. The series opens on February 20 with Christian Petzold’s latest film, Jerichow (2008), a meticulously constructed story of betrayal, secrecy and sexual passion that was a sensation on last year’s festival circuit.

On February 25, in co-presentation with Gallery TPW, Cinematheque Ontario will also present the North American premiere of a new exhibition by rising German visual artist Nina Könnemann, an off-site companion piece to States of Longing: Films from the Berlin School programme. In addition, on March 6, Cinematheque Ontario, in conjunction with York University, is pleased to welcome German cinema authority and author Thomas Elsaesser to Toronto. Elsaesser will present European Cinema – Face to Face with World Cinema, a free lecture exploring the definitions of European and world cinema.

Cinematheque Ontario presents States of Longing: Films from the Berlin School

Friday, February 20

7:00 p.m. JERICHOW

8:45 p.m. A FINE DAY

Saturday, February 21

7:00 p.m. THE STATE I’M IN

9:00 p.m.  MARSEILLE

Sunday, February 22

5:00 p.m. JERICHOW

Wednesday, February 25

Nina Könnemann exhibition launches at TPW

Thursday, February 26

7:00 p.m. AFTERNOON

Friday, February 27

9:00 p.m. YELLA

Saturday, February 28

9:15 p.m. VACATION

Sunday, March 1

5:15 p.m. THE FOREST FOR THE TREES

Friday, March 6

7:00 p.m. Thomas Elsaesser Lecture

8:45 p.m. THE DAYS BETWEEN

Saturday, March 7

7:00 p.m. LONGING

8:45 p.m. BUNGALOW

Sunday, March 8

3:00 p.m. THIS VERY MOMENT

5:00 p.m. NIGHTSONGS

Saturday, March 14

8:45 p.m. MADONNAS