C/LENS meets ZK/U Speisekino

July 14 2022 I 19:30 - 24:00

In July, C/LENS collaborates with ZK/U to present a special Speisekino program - Berlin x Chengdu.
Together on a balmy summer night, we will enjoy Sichuan/Chengdu street food, curated music, and short film screenings, explore the connections between the two cities, and celebrate their vibrancy and spirit!
We are excited to introduce Chengdu - one of China's most inclusive cities (known as China's Berlin)- to the Berlin audience via food and cinema, hoping to stimulate authentic, meaningful cross-cultural dialogue among the participants.

Agenda
20:00 - 21:30   Food, Drink, Socializing, Music
21:30 - 21:40   Opening presentation 
21:45 - 23:00   Screening 
23:10 - 23:30   Sharing session by Chengdu-born, Paris-based  artist & filmmaker Erni on her sailing experience and documentary project 
Before 24:00    End 

Food
As one of the most famous gastronomic centers in (and beyond) China, it would never be too much to emphasize the importance and charm of Chengdu cuisine. Like Mexican food and Indian food, Chengdu food masters the art of creating a unique and richly-layered spicy taste in using a complex of spices. At the event, we will provide two highly representative and authentic Chengdu street food (vegan) cooked by Cai Kitchen with love: Dàndàn Noodles & Yuxiang Noodles. Capacity is limited (100 portions), come early and wait to be surprised!

Film 
For the most important part of our program, four award-winning short films made by emerging Chengdu filmmakers will be shown, which offer an intriguing diversity: nostalgic 90s narrative (The Stars From Yesterday), bold&feminist twist of Bible story (Abortion Mary), rare lesbian-theme film from mainland China (Pink Pill), and crafted animation of suspense(Final Draft). 

《灿若繁星》The Stars From Yesterday
Dir. Rayist｜China｜23min｜OV(Sichuan dialect) with CN&EN subs
The nostalgic short film presents an authentic picture of an ordinary family in 90s Chengdu, when the whole country was in the whirl of rapid economic transformation. It is like a time journey that may speak to each of us in a personal way. 

《圣母堕胎》Abortion Mary
dir. Ring Hyacinth｜China｜05:35｜OV with CN&EN subs
This short film by the multi-talented Chengdu feminist filmmaker Hyacinth is bold, creative and full of humor. When Virgin Mary found out that she is pregnant with Jesus, she is not so happy with the fact and therefore, she wants an abortion… 

《粉色药丸》 Pink Pill
Dir. Xie Xiaoshan｜China｜30min｜OV(Sichuan dialect) with CN&EN subs
Based on a true incident, this short film presents a beautiful yet heartbreaking story: in a small town in Sichuan, the homosexual romance between two high school girls is exposed - what would happen to them? 

《最终稿》Final Draft
Dir. Huang Yue｜China｜07:54｜OV with CN&EN subs
This animated short film does an impressive job in creating a world of suspense in only a few minutes and demonstrates the director’s crafted skills in storytelling.