Hotel Astoria
Hotel Astoria
DIRECTED BY: Alina Cyranek, Falk Schuster COUNTRY: Germany YEAR: 2020 SPOKEN LANGUAGE(S): German SUBTITLES:RUNNING TIME: 28 min
SECTION: International Forum
SCREENINGS
Leipzig, 1996. The receptionist shows the White Suite at the Hotel Astoria. She says she still has hope that a guardian angel will save the Astoria. But seven years after the fall of the Wall, the curtain also falls on the legendary hotel. Political change of the late 1980s was also felt at the Astoria. Memories of this exclusive place are brought to life through a mixture of archive material and animation. We learn about the hard work in hospitality and the absurdities of everyday life in the GDR, about turtle soup in a country that was known for an economy of scarcity, and about the hotel bar where prostitutes, tourists, and Stasi agents had their drinks. These contradictions are also reflected in the statements of the staff and guests. Some recall a culture of fear, while others describe it as the best time of their lives. The film shows that different historical experiences can coexist – that‘s where you find the grey areas between propaganda and reality. Because truth is a matter of opinion.
The film is part of the short film programme “German (Hi)stories”.
BIOGRAPHY
Alina Cyranek completed a double master‘s degree in media art at Bauhaus University Weimar and Tongji University Shanghai and works as a director and producer in Leipzig. Themes such as transience and memory frequently appear in her work. For the realization she uses different media formats and elements, for which she has received a number of awards. Alina is a member of the Filmverband Sachsen, where she also serves on the board. Since 2019, she has been a jury member at the German Film and Media Evaluation Board (FBW) in Wiesbaden.
Falk Schuster studied design at the Burg Giebichenstein Kunsthochschule Halle and founded the animation studio animated stories. His works often play with and combine different animation techniques. His range of work includes free animation films, mixed media films as well as commissioned productions. His productions have won a variety of awards. Since 2014, Falk Schuster has held teaching positions at the Kunsthochschule Halle and the HFF Munich. He lives and works in Halle (Saale).
FILMOGRAPHY
Alina Cyrane
Szenen eines Abschieds (2014), Fading (2014), Ein Haufen Liebe (2016), I love my carL (2018), The Party Manual (2019), Hotel Astoria (2020)
Falk Schuster
Laufende Geschäfte (2009), Ast mit Last (2011),A racers sketchbook (2013),Die Weite suchen (2015), Die Tochter (2018), Hotel Astoria (2020)
SCRIPT: Alina Cyranek PRODUCER: Alina Cyranek, Falk Schuster CINEMATOGRAPHY: Falk Schuster EDITOR: Alina Cyranek SCORE: Florian Marquardt
WEBSITE: www.hotel-astoria.org
PRODUCTION COMPANY: hug films (hello@hug-films.com)
