RETROSPECTIVE
by Rose Finlay

The theme of this year’s Retrospective section is near and dear to my  heart: Science Fiction. Some of the most original, daring, and visually  stunning films of the genre were showcased this year. From Luc Besson’s bizarre The Fifth Element to an early rare  classic Himmelskibet from 1918,  science fiction films from all eras and from around the world were shown at the  festival. This year, the section went all out, pairing with the Deutsche  Kinemathek – Museum für Film und Fernsehen’s exhibition “Things to Come.” The  exhibition displayed a variety of conceptual artwork, props, costumes, and film  clips from several influential science fiction films. This was also the first  year that the section’s companion book was released only in English.

  The films chosen this year were an interesting mix and included pictures  that are traditional science fiction with aliens and space travel along with  that of Futurism such as a The Tunnel (1933) which was about the construction of a tunnel from Europe to America. A  particular highlight was watching the opening film Eolomea (1972) in the Kino International, the location where it  originally premiered. The interior of the cinema perfectly complimented the  style of the film. As always, the Retrospective section is always a wonderful  opportunity to see a wide range of films that are not necessarily commonly  shown and 2017 certainly wasn’t a disappointment. Here’s hoping next year is  equally as entertaining!