Staff Reporter
Windhoek-The Goethe-Institut Namibia will have a public screening of five films by Fatih Akin at its Windhoek location.
The screenings begin on Thursday September 21 at 19:00 and end on Saturday, September 23. Entry is free and as usual popcorn will be served.
Akin is one of Germany’s best directors and screenwriters, focusing on migration, cultural clashes as well as portrayal for the struggle of integration and the search for an identity.
Born and raised in Hamburg, Germany, and of Turkish descent, Akin is famous for portraying the severity of a situation with humour in his work.
Born in 1973, Akin knew he had an interest in film-making at a young age and was active in theatre as a schoolboy.
His passion had him complete a course in visual communications at the Hochschule für bildende Künste in Hamburg and became the director of ‘In the Fade (Aus dem Nichts)’, Germany’s official entry in the 90th Academy Awards (Oscars) for Best Foreign Language Film.
Opening the screenings in Windhoek is ‘Head On’, Akin’s first international breakthrough that won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival as well as Best Film and Audience Award at the European Film Awards in 2004.
The drama depicts the marriage of convenience of Cahit and Sibel, two strong characters who met in the psychiatric wing of a hospital.
Friday, September 22 features ‘Soul Kitchen’ – a film full of emotions, tragedy and great success – that won the Special Award of the Jury at the Venice International Film Festival in 2009.
‘The Edge of Heaven’ on the same Friday at 21:00 depicts the connectedness of many lives. It won Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival, LUX Prize for European Cinema from the European Parliament and Best Director at the Golden Orange Film Festival in 2005.
Saturday, September 23 features the screening of ‘Goodbye Berlin’, which tells the story of two teenagers hitting the road on a journey through the East German countryside.
The screenings close with ‘The Cut’ – a film that tells the story of an Armenian blacksmith in search of his lost family after the First World War.