Filmnacht | Film Night

Discussion: 7:00 p.m. / 19.00 Uhr

Normalerweise jeden vierten Samstag alle zwei Monate. Usually, on the fourth Saturday of every other month. We’re screening German, or German-related, films. We specialize in showing popular, or little-known film gems (usually in German with English subtitles), followed by a moderated discussion facilitated by Dr. Marion Gerlind.

In-person screenings are at the Gerlind Institute for Cultural Studies, Oakland, and seating is limited. During COVID-19 we moved our discussions to Zoom. Für Reservierung oder weitere Informationen, email Marion. For reservations or more information, email Marion.

“Thanks JB. I really enjoyed these films, very nicely curated. They were funny, touchy, sad, sweet. Weird at times. I liked your choices. Even the horny stereotyped librarian one. It was silly. Thanks again.” ~ Elizabeth Brady, Former GICS Board Member

Toni Erdmann
Saturday, April 27, 2024 • 7-9 p.m. PT

Toni Erdmann is a 2016 German comedy-drama film directed, written and co-produced by Maren Ade. It stars Peter Simonischek and Sandra Hüller.

The film, which premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, was named the best film of 2016 by Sight & Sound. It received wide acclaim from critics for Ade's direction, performances, and writing. It won five awards at the 29th European Film Awards, the European Parliament LUX Prize, and was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards.

“Winfried (Peter Simonischek), a lonely senior divorced father prone to pulling childish pranks and assuming invented personas, decides to stalk Ines (Sandra Hüller), his career-obsessed 30-something consultant daughter, in Bucharest as she tries to pull off an important contract extension with an oil company. But there is so much more going on than just that.…Ade has been

allowed to make a relationship comedy that runs for an epic-sized 162 minutes. That gives the characters abundant breathing room to slowly yet steadily evolve before our eyes.

It also provides the action a chance to percolate to a point around the two-hour mark where audiences will find themselves in a state of constant surprise.” (Susan Wloszczyna, RogerEbert.com)

162 minutes | 2016 | Director: Maren Ade | Germany | German with English subtitles

  • 50% discount for members, $10.00

  • Non-members $15-20.

    No one turned away for lack of funds.

  • 10% discount on a Schnupperklasse

    10% reduced tuition for all seminars & workshops

    50% discount on admission to our Filmnacht, Klönschnack & Oral History Series

    Borrow books and films from the GICS library without cost

    Support progressive programming!

“I enjoyed Filmnacht so much! What a fascinating set of films. Thanks to you and JB for doing so much work from which we only see the polished result!”
Blessings. ~ Jude Bell, GICS student & member

“It has been eye-opening to explore a rich range of German films at the Gerlind film evenings, where the level of discussion is strikingly high. I come away from those discussions informed and invigorated.
The oral history series is comparably stimulating, offering personal testimonies by speakers whose experience with Germany has profoundly marked them and who in turn leave their listeners educated and enriched.” ~ Dr. Gail Finney, Professor Emerita of Comparative Literature & German

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