silent green Sommerkino: Gaea Girls // Rotation

open air cinema 

On the occasion of this years' World Cup, silent green offers an alternative programme to Berlin’s public viewing events: The open air cinema in the MARS garden presents unconventional sport films across all disciplines.

Kim Longinotto’s and Jano Williams’ latest film Gaea Girls is a fascinating look at the physically grueling and mentally exhausting training regimen of Japanese women wrestlers who aspire to be part of the much-coveted Gaea Girls. The Gaea circuit is a homegrown version of the World Wrestling Foundation and its costumes and theatrical grappling are a low-budget facsimile of Western wrestling – no fancy martial arts and sumo moves here. The film takes us inside the Gaea training camp where you will meet several young recruits including Wakabayashi, who ran away the first time around; Sato, a spindly 16 year old, who has waited patiently to join for 3 years; and Nagay Chigusa, the shock-haired, pugnacious fighter in charge of the training camp. But the most heart-wrenching story of all is that of Takeuchis; she is routinely humiliated by Nagayo and reduced to a sniveling, bloodied wreck when it is all too evident that, in sparring bout after sparring bout, she lacks sheer bodyweight and strength to attempt to understand those who would go against Japan’s apparent preference for all things demure, restrained and where women are concerned.  

UK 2000, D: Kim Longinotto Jano Williams, C: Chigusa Nagayo, Meiko Satomura, Yuka Sugiyama, Saika Takeuchi, L: 99 min   
OV (Japanese) with English Subtitles.  

As a prelude to the film, Ginan Seidl's and Clara Wieck's short film Rotation will be screened. With their familiar movements a rhythmic gymnast and a pole dancer set foot on each other`s stage. Via a staged spatial exchange Rotation explores the mutual relationship between body, dance and space. 

D 2012, D: Ginan Seidl, Clara Wieck, C: Melody Aurora, Laure Tabea Marx, L: 7:45 min

On sunny days, our garden already opens at 6 p.m., offering delicious barbecue and cold drinks before the screening.

Please stay posted for any changes in our schedule here or via facebook .

Tickets at the door: 5€

Next films:
13.07. Looking for Eric
25.07. Santo contra cerebro del mal / Mr. Uppercut
08.08. Battle of the sexes
22.08. They shoot horses, don't they?