Film Festival | Thursday, November 14, 2019 - Sunday, November 17, 2019

Film|Neu 2019: Tickets Available Now!

Tickets are now on sale for Film|Neu 2019, Washington’s annual festival of contemporary cinema from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. This year’s films explore the absurd, the challenges that come with pursuing ambitious dreams, remaining true to oneself in the face of great change, and being an outsider torn between belonging and remaining a misfit. Three of our screenings will feature discussions with special guests from Germany, who will also come together for a special moderated dialogue on Saturday, November 16. Check out our full festival program at www.filmneu.org and purchase your tickets today!

Artist Talk | Wednesday, October 23, 6:00 PM

NORMCORE: Artist Talk with Sasha Appelhoff and Lena von Goedeke

Playing with the recently coined "normcore" trend - a portmanteau of normal and hardcore - Sascha Appelhoff and Lena von Goedeke's exhibition and storefront installation at Transformer DC confront this trend’s underlying concept of strictly adhering to rules and standards as a way of rebelling and standing out, by reflecting on the way in which "norms" are commonly perceived in Europe as a stand-in for bureaucracy. Appelhoff and von Goedeke challenge this concept, and the cliché of the "uptight rule-following German," through their own perception of the "norm" - in signs, sizes, and symbols - and by playing with the metric system in the USA, where none of these rules apply. On October 23, Transformer and the American University Department of Art present an artist talk with Appelhoff and von Goedeke, moderated by Andy Holtin, Associate Professor of Art at American University.

Panel Discussion | Friday, October 25, 5:00 pm

Nazi-Era Provenance Research: The Importance of Transnational Exchange

The German/American Provenance Research Exchange Program (PREP) brings together, for the first time, museum professionals from both sides of the Atlantic who specialize in World War II-era provenance projects for a three-year, systematic exchange. The program expands and elaborates on the methods and practices with which both countries have thus far approached the issues pertaining to Holocaust-era art looting.

This panel discussion will reflect on the historical development of Holocaust-era provenance research in museums and research institutions over the past 20 years, from challenging beginnings to present-day accomplishments. German and American experts will compare and contrast approaches to this work; consider how access to research resources and to provenance online have been supported and sustained in our institutions; and explore the vital role of transnational exchange. More broadly, they will discuss the civic role museums play, and how historical, political, and legal contexts impact this work.

Panel Discussion | Saturday, October 26, 10:30 am

Object Lessons: German and American Perspectives on Provenance Research of the Colonial and Nazi Eras

What can provenance researchers of Nazi-era looted objects learn from those who study collections acquired under colonial rule, and vice versa? How far do the methodologies and challenges of museum professionals and researchers dealing with colonial period- and Nazi-era collections overlap? What new insights can we gain from the study of the provenance of objects of all categories, and how might these be applied to advancing scholarly discourse, public debates, and solutions regarding Nazi-era and colonial objects? 

This panel discussion brings together eminent historians, archaeologists, ethnologists, and museum professionals to share their perspectives on the challenging historical, legal, ethical, philosophical, and practical issues surrounding works of art and objects acquired under colonial and Nazi rule.  

Contest "Our Sustainable Future"

Worried about OUR future? Have ideas how to address this? Want to win a trip to Berlin? Join the worldwide climate movement from your own classroom! Make a positive impact in your community now! Take part in our competition ‘’Our Sustainable Future!’'

The Big Pond #50: Showing our Colors

People of mixed heritage lead complex lives, often navigating between two racial and/or cultural identities. Producer Jocelyn Robinson, who lives this experience, explores the formation of identity in the US and Germany.