The eagerly anticipated Paris/Berlin International Film Festival is set to take place from October 30 to November 5, 2023. Serving as a premier platform for contemporary dynamic image practices, this year’s exhibition will showcase 165 works from 52 countries, selected from over 7,000 submissions.
Founded by Nathalie Hénon and Jean-François Rettig, the event attests to the power of visual narrative in a world inundated with images. They believe that in the hands of artists, images have the ability to “shift our gaze” and challenge our perceptions, offering “possible worlds and utopias needed to reshape the times.” Highlights of this year include a retrospective of avant-garde icon Yvonne Rainer, whose work has recently been restored by MoMA. Portuguese filmmaker Pedro Costa, winner of the Golden Leopard at the 72nd Locarno Film Festival, has been given carte blanche, while American artist Peggy Ahwesh premieres her latest film “OR117,” co-directed with Jacqueline Goss.
The Dynamic Image Art Award enters its second edition, aimed at recognizing outstanding contributions to this art form. Last year, the award was bestowed upon the artist duo Effi & Amir. Several iconic venues in Paris, such as the Centre Pompidou, the Maison Européenne de la Photographie, and the Jeu de Paume, will host the event. Following the Paris tour, the exhibition will move to the House of World Cultures in Berlin from March 12 to 17, 2024.
The 2023 edition also delves into pressing global issues. From the climate crisis explored by Monira Al Qadiri and Natacha Nisic, to feminist and gender narratives by Jane Jin Kaisen and Wendelien van Oldenborgh. Stéphane Degoutin, Gwenola Wagon, and John Menick examine the disruptive force of artificial intelligence, while Jonathas de Andrade and Ben Rivers offer visions of utopia.
