Foreword
2022 remains a challenging year. With an uncertain future, reflecting on history may be the best we can do now. This year's festival presents several films covering the most important period in German history: from the end of World War II to the reunification of East and West Germany. Through cinema, audiences can walk through this history, witnessing the daily lives of ordinary people and the situations of extraordinary individuals, observing how Germans strived to live through those long and dark years.
Festival Highlights
The festival is bookended by the theme "Goodbye."
- Opening Film: "Goodbye Day" – Winner of the German Film Critics Association Award for Best Children's Film, witnessing the moment of German reunification through a child's eyes.
- Closing Film: "Goodbye Lenin!" – Presents the same historical period with humor, sweeping nine German Oscar awards that year.
- New German Works: Features stories of homosexuals, literary masters, political servants, and female civilians, covering different social strata to deeply and comprehensively experience the omnipresence of power and the struggles and actions of the characters.
- Award-Winning Films: Many films have won numerous awards at international festivals. Two films related to German literature, "The Royal Game" and "Dear Thomas," garnered significant attention during their Hong Kong releases.
Actor Special & East German Film Screenings
- Premiere: "Great Freedom" starring German actor Franz Rogowski. The film won an award at the Cannes Film Festival and was selected as an Oscar Top 15 Best International Film.
- Actor Focus: Franz Rogowski, one of Europe's hottest actors, delivers an astonishing performance as a persecuted yet radiant gay man.
- Director-Actor Collaboration: Rogowski, alongside renowned contemporary German director Christian Petzold and actress Paula Beer, forms a formidable trio. Their films "Transit" and "Undine" connect contemporary stories with history, offering new dimensions for interpreting the past and reflecting contemporary German society.
"Broken Taboos - Socially Critical Filmmaking in the GDR" Series
To mark the 75th anniversary of the German Film Corporation (DEFA), the festival curates a special series:
- "Coming Out": The first and only East German feature film to publicly depict the theme of homosexuality.
- "The Bicycle": A rare female-centric story in East German film history.
This year's KINO Macau offers a diverse and in-depth exploration of Germany's post-World War II history through multiple perspectives.
A Message from Our Organizers
"Before the shining moment of the stars of a human being, there must be a long time passing by unnecessarily." – Stefan Zweig
Let us walk together on this thorny journey towards that shining moment.
Message from Goethe-Institut Hongkong:
"Herzlich willkommen!" We are delighted to invite you to KINO22, the seventh edition of the German Film Festival in Macau. Together with our trusted partner CUT, we present a great selection of dramatic, thought-provoking, funny, and moving films. Sit back and immerse yourself in these great films on the big screen. We look forward to welcoming you and your family and friends!
- Date: November 5–20, 2022
- Edition: 7th
