Arsène Schrauwen

Amazing Belgian comic book artist Olivier Schrauwen (My Boy, The Man Who Grew His Beard) is currently working on the 2nd of a 3 part biography of his grandfather Arsène. Part 1 has been published but is sold out, a new print run will appear as part 2 is released. Some images and great praise can be seen and read on this blog, by Matt Seneca (link).

Midnight Films at MaerzMusik

This week, as part of the MaerzMusik festival for experimental music, Babylon Mitte are screening interesting films at midnight each night. Tonight they'll screen Greenaway's amazing ZOO (A Zed and Two Noughts), tomorrow Matthew Barney's Drawing Restraint 9, and on wednesday one of my all time favourites, David Lynch's Eraserhead. I haven't seen it in a theatre before so I'll be all over it.

If you're in Berlin, be sure to check out the program! Tickets are 6.50 EUR.

Guy in Berlin

For those who couldn't attend yesterday, here's a very low quality cell phone video of Guy Maddin greeting the people at the opening of his film installation at the Berlinale. It was great to see him in person, having been a huge fan for the last ten years. Will have to go back some other day and check out the installation when it's not so crowded!



PS. The 'presidente' he's referring to is Isabella Rossellini, this year's jury president, who was also present yesterday. Starstruck!

Guy Maddin's in town! Again!

Three years ago, I neglected to thoroughly read the Berlinale programme and later found out -- a day too late -- that Guy Maddin, one of my favourite directors, had presented his latest film at the festival. Crap! Well, I've also neglected to read the Berlinale programme this year, but by accident -- while standing in line to return a defective computer keyboard at Conrad -- I spotted Maddin's face on a TV screen in the background, being interviewed with the Berlinale logo behind him. Maddin. Berlinale. He's here again.

I'll be damned if I miss him this year too. It seems he's presenting a new work (or collection of shorts or whatever it is, I'm not sure) called Hauntings I (fragments). And it's starring Udo Kier. And it's free. I pity the Berlin based fool who won't show up tomorrow (Friday), 19:00 at the Marshall McLuhan Salon @ Potsdamer Platz to see what Maddin's been up to lately.