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Cyprus

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7:00 PM

Good bye, Lenin!

Film screening and discussion|GoetheKino: Questions of Family

  • Goethe-Institut Nicosia, Nicosia

  • Original dialogue with English subtitles. Discussion in English
  • Admission free
  • Part of series: GoetheKino

Good Bye, Lenin! © X Filme Creative Pool GmbH

The series GoetheKino: Questions of Family continues with the screening of the award-winning film Good Bye, Lenin!, which will be followed by a discussion with Olga Kourelou, film academic, and Mine Balman, documentary filmmaker (Beyond History Education, Olivia).

Drama, Comedy // 2003 // Wolfgang Becker // 121 minutes

A moving tragicomedy that illuminates the upheavals of German reunification with great sensitivity and humour. The film is told from the perspective of young Alex, who faces the challenges of a new reality with dedication and creativity. It deals with love, loyalty and the question of how far one can go to protect someone. With a mixture of nostalgia, social criticism and emotional depth, Good Bye, Lenin! is not only a portrait of an era, but also a story about family and the power of memory.

EXPERTS

  • Olga Kourelou

    Olga Kourelou holds PhD in Film Studies from King’s College London. Having held teaching positions at King’s College London and Sussex University, she is now Research Fellow at the University of Nicosia and an independent film curator. She served as a member of the Cyprus Cinema Advisory Committee and has now been appointed to the Subcommittee for Script Evaluation.
    Olga’s research interests are in star studies, gender, race, and European cinema, with a particular focus on Greek-language film. She has contributed book chapters and articles to publications including New Cinemas: Journal of Contemporary Film, Journal of Greek Media and Culture and Celebrity Studies Journal.  

  • Mine Balman

    Mine Balman worked as Assistant to the Turkish Cypriot Member at the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (2006–2020), contributing to the politically sensitive, humanitarian bi-communal project of exhumation, identification, and return of remains. With fourteen years of experience in peacebuilding, reconciliation, human rights, and gender equality, she has been active in initiatives fostering reconciliation, dialogue and healing in post-conflict Cyprus. She has also edited two books and since 2005, she has been digging the suppressed stories and directing documentaries to bridge past and future and contribute to peace-building. Her film "Olivia" won the Audience Award at the 6th International Cyprus A.E.I. Film Festival (2023), and "Together" won "Award of Seventh International Young Women’s Peace and Human Rights" from Democracy Today (2018).