NEWS
The German Studies Department at Davidson College Invites the Public to Two Major Film Events
The German Studies Department at Davidson College is excited to invite News of Davidson readers to two major film events.
Dr. Scott Denham, Charles A. Dana Professor of German Studies at Davidson College announces the presentation of Die Ecke (The Corner, 2022, 90 mins.), an important documentary film, directed by Christa Pfafferott (in German with English subtitles).
Thursday evening, September 14, 7:30 p.m. in Tyler-Tallman Hall, Sloan Music Center at Davidson College. Screening and discussion following with the director Christa Pfafferott and family member Robert Culverhouse (see below) follows in English. Reception with refreshments.
Trailer here https://youtu.be/LlnD8l4AGWw?si=THf-ZuOEQSH-CfhZ
Stemming from a photo of a dead American soldier in a German village at the end of WW2, an intriguing deep dive into a war scene. In 1945, shortly before the end of the war, an unknown American soldier was shot here. A photo went around the world. The corner where he was shot still looks the same today as it did back then. It seems as if there is an invisible connection between the times.
On the corner, older and younger residents are still touched by the event. Then a young descendant of the soldier appears. He travels to the corner from the US to understand why he feels so connected to his relative. A forensic technician and his team measure the corner and show the residents the war with 3D images.
The film The Corner takes place exclusively on a street corner. Archival material, documentary, and virtual reality weave past and present, memories and emotions around the place. The film shows at one corner how complex truth is and how much we are still connected to the events of that time.
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. ALL ARE WELCOME!
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Dr. Emily Frazier-Rath, Visiting Asst. Professor of German Studies, announces the presentation of Sam, a Saxon, a 2023 TV mini-series:
Sam, a Saxon, based on the incredible true story of Samuel Njankouo Meffire, East Germany’s first Black policeman, will be at the center of an historic U.S Educational Tour, hosted by leading political and cultural institutions this September.
Spearheaded by the Black German Heritage and Research Association (BGHRA), in association with the German Embassy Washington, Goethe Institute, and Fremantle-backed Big Window Productions, a label of UFA Fiction, the U.S Educational tour is a landmark cultural event to help highlight the groundbreaking impact the series has had on the Afro-German and Black communities – and the opportunities it sets out to create for underrepresented and underserved voices in the industry.
The seven-part series available to stream exclusively on Hulu follows “Sam” (Malick Bauer) who joins the police force after his father’s murder. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, he becomes the face of an anti-racism campaign and a media sensation, catapulting him into a newly formed police squad with the mission to squash the rising tide of neo-Nazis in the post-communist East. His fame and success as a Nazi-hunter is not appreciated by everyone. His journey takes a dark turn, and he eventually finds himself framed as an internationally wanted criminal and branded Germany’s ‘public enemy number one’.
Through Sam’s eyes, the series allows audiences to experience his fight for recognition, justice, and a place he can call home in the wild years following German reunification.
“Sam – A Saxon” combines an outstanding and diverse team both behind and in front of the camera with the following talents confirmed to participate on the U.S educational tour which begins at Davidson College:
- Samuel Meffire
- Malick Bauer (as Sam Meffire)
- Ivy Quainoo (as Jenny) also star of “The Voice Germany”, and Germany’s “Hamilton”.
- Paula Essam Baumert (as Sabine)
- Jörg Winger – Creator, showrunner, head writer, executive producer
- Tyron Ricketts – Creator, actor, executive producer
- Chris Silber – Creator, head writer, executive producer
Rosemarie Peña, Ph.D., President of the BGHRA & Emily Frazier-Rath, Ph.D, BGHRA Executive Director of Education Initiatives, and Visiting Assistant Professor of German Studies at Davidson College, commented:
“It is indeed with honor and great pride that the Black German Heritage and Research Association (BGHRA) presents the cast, production team, and the real-life inspiration for the groundbreaking Hulu series, “SAM – A SAXON”. We hope that the U.S. university tour will provide students as well as faculty, staff, and community members a memorable experience meeting and learning from some of the talents behind this groundbreaking show. In the spirit of transnational community-building and fostering mutual respect and support, we hope this tour promotes the exchange of ideas and flow of creative work.
In the telling of Sam Meffire’s powerful story, Hulu sheds a brilliant light on a multicultural Black diaspora community that has long been underrepresented in German media. Importantly, the series has significant implications for the U.S. community of Black Germans, who have been rekinning with their families and counterparts in Germany over several decades. It’s a joy to be finally seen.”
Trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w_OXezfPkg
Screenings, free and open to the public, are as follows:
Monday, September 11, 7-10 p.m. in the Visual Arts Center (VAC) Semans Auditorium at Davidson College: Episodes 1 to 3.
Friday, September 15, 7-10 p.m. in VAC Semans Auditorium at Davidson College: Episodes 4 to 7.
And a marathon screening all episodes 1 through 7, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, September 16 in VAC Semans Auditorium at Davidson College.
Each episode lasts 45 minutes and snacks are provided between episodes.
Then, on Monday, September 18, 7-9 p.m. in Duke Family Performance Hall: Q&A with the stars and creators of the show, presented by the Black German Heritage and Research Association (BGHRA), the German Embassy, and German Studies at Davidson College.
Tickets are free:
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. ALL WELCOME!
SPONSORED BY:
