interfilm 1982
In 1982, young filmmakers organized the first international Super 8 film festival interfilm 1 in several independent cinemas and venues.
The festival picked up on the current political upheavals and showed, among other things, Super 8 films shot by squatters during house fights and demonstrations.
Interfilm Super Eight
In mid-September, the 1st International Film Festival for Super 8 takes place in Berlin, called 'Interfilm'. Three Berlin S-8 film groups have joined forces as organizers: Kino, Gegenlicht-Filmverleih and the film performance project U.V.A..
The idea is to show as many submissions as possible, because the concept is to introduce and get to know the films. The first (!) film festival is to give an overview of the range of S-8 productions to date (apart from private hobby and family films) and, above all, to bring filmmakers together to discuss future prospects for the young medium. The taz plans to accompany the preparations for the festival with a series on Super-8 films; in doing so, it wants to contribute to a better understanding of the peculiarities of this medium.
Own history
Super 8 film came onto the market in 1965. 'Super' about this innovation is the better utilization of the 8mm film width.
An enlargement of the picture window was achieved by a corresponding reduction of the perforation. At the same time, the raw material was already produced in 8mm width, thus eliminating the complicated film rewinding and subsequent longitudinal splitting. In addition, the film was wound into a cassette, which made it much easier to insert into the camera - since then, one click has been enough.
A medium of its own
Film critics usually deny Super-8 its own qualities - with reference to the masses of amateur films. But they overlook the fact that a medium can emancipate itself from its original purpose. So there is the "other side" to every medium, which develops quite independently of initial manufacturing interests.
And it is precisely the more independent and freer handling of the technical innovation that then forms the actual strength of the medium, at least as far as the meaning of culture and counterculture is concerned. Super-Eight is currently at a stage where it is acquiring or fighting for its own place in the media spectacle. That's why the festival is so important at this point.
The inner right to its own place is based on Super-Eight's own qualities. The clearest advantage of this medium remains its openness and possible spontaneity.
Thus, S-8 - without incurring large overhead costs for equipment, material and subsequent editing - is particularly suitable for film projects that are to be realized immediately and without complications: No matter whether larger groups want to present themselves or important events are to be documented at short notice, whether someone wants to communicate something very personally or is simply fascinated by moving images.
In the meantime, the Berlin S8 scene has grown qualitatively and quantitatively to such an extent that it is now massively penetrating public and counter-public areas. The first International Film Festival for Super Eight here in Berlin is just the most striking example of this.