The Clinton Street Theater has been the home for our monthly German language film series since November 12, 2014. Our first film was THIS AIN’T CALIFORNIA. The series will go on hiatus after the December 2023 screening of SCHOOL OF MAGICAL ANIMALS: Part 2 (Die Schule der magischen Tiere: Teil 2) .
We will have shown nearly 100 German language films from Germany, Austria and Switzerland as well as some international co-productions – this is the longest standing German language film series in the US! We celebrated US premieres, classic German films, PRIDE, anniversaries and jubilees of movies from UFA Production, DEFA Stiftung, CCC Film and many more. Where else would you be able to see the SISSI trilogy on the big screen? (Yes, that is a German thing!). Our children’s program gave kids an opportunity to see movies as they were supposed to be seen – in the theater! And since all movies had been subtitled, they have been accessible to everybody in the film community in Portland and surrounding areas.
So if you don't want to miss important updates and announcements, please stay in touch with the Portland German Film Festival via its social media channels:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/
Thank you very much to everybody who supported the series, the film festival and Zeitgeist Northwest - you made a difference!
See you at the movies!
Yvonne P. Behrens, Director PGFF
and The Board of Zeitgeist Northwest
Zeitgeist Northwest is presenting the annual Portland German Film Festival and KINOFEST Seattle in the fall of every year.
Our annual festivals showcases feature films, documentaries and short films that represent the state-of-the-art in German film making. We are also delighted to include films from Austria and Switzerland to give our audience the chance to experience the diversity, history and progress of German-speaking countries in Europe. All films are shown in German with English subtitles to allow a broad audience access to these German-language movies.
Please check our website for any updates in regards to the 2020 German language film festivals!
On May 16, 1946 the Soviet Military Admin. approved the founding of a film studio in the Soviet Occupation Zone. The next day, over 300 guests from all Occupation Zones celebrated the founding of the new DEFA Studio on the former Ufa grounds in Potsdam-Babelsberg...
(Read the rest below!)
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the DEFA Studio, in 2021 we are initiating a wide range of programs and new resources, including:
ALBRECHT SCHUCH IS THE GERMAN SHOOTING STAR 2021
EFP (European Film Promotion) announced the ten European up-and-coming actors who will be honoured as EUROPEAN SHOOTING STARS 2021. Germany will be represented by Albrecht Schuch.
Albrecht Schuch has shone in recent years thanks to his performances in such films as BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ and SYSTEM CRASHER as well as the internationally highly successful TV series BAD BANKS. He will be seen in April 2021 in his latest role in Dominik Graf's adaptation of Erich Kästner's novel FABIAN.
Like many small businesses in Portland and across the country, Cinema 21 has been forced close by Covid-19 since March. The future of the Portland German Film Festival is also not certain as there is considerable doubt that Portland will move into Phase II of reopening in the near term.
So we decided to hold a virtual German language film festival to benefit CINEMA 21!
Starting Friday, July 31 – August 14, 2020 the following films are available (All films will be in German with English subtitles!):
Dear friend of German language films:
Given the rapidly evolving public health crisis involving COVID-19 (coronavirus), we are suspending our monthly German language film series until further notice. This is in response to the Governor of Oregon's recommendations that large gatherings of over 250 people should be postponed or canceled and that smaller gatherings in venues that do not allow for social distancing of six feet per person should be postponed or canceled. The CLINTON STREET THEATER and CINEMA 21 at this point are having virtual screenings - please support them and check out their website.
Our and their top priority is the safety of our patrons, members, staff and volunteers, and we will continue to monitor this health crisis, particularly as it impacts the film exhibition industry and the city of Portland.
We know that you were looking forward to screenings advertised on our website. We will do everything possible to reschedule these films in the future.
We appreciate your support during this crisis, and look forward to welcoming you back to one of our screenings as soon as possible. Please continue to check our homepage for updates on our schedule.
Sincerely,
Yvonne P. Behrens The Board of Zeitgeist Northwest
Director, Portland German Film Festival ZEITGEIST NORTHWEST
The legendary kingdom of Mandala from “Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver” is not as far away as you may think. You don’t have to take a plane and fly to China to get there. Instead, just take a look behind the scenes of Mackevision.
Not that we invented the city, of course. That was master storyteller Michael Ende in his first Jim Button story. Now, 58 years after the book was originally published, a team of film makers have dared to bring the story to life using real-life actors. And we were involved to bring the beautiful city of Mandala to life.
