Berlin Babylon (2001)

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

"Berlin Babylon" is a 90-minute documentary from 2001, so it had its 15 anniversary last year, which means that more time has passed since the making of this film and today than between this film and the Fall of the Berlin Wall, the event that the film is partially about too. The writer and director is Hubertus Siegert and it is still among his most known works today, maybe even number 1 in the list. It is about Berlin, but I as a Berlin citizen do not think that it is enough if you have an interest in this wonderful place, but you also need to have interest in the history, city planning and maybe even architecture to enjoy this one. If you do, then you may have a truly great time seeing this one. But I don't think there are too many people who have an interest in all this.However, this should not mean that it was a bad (or even horrible) watch. The topic makes it just pretty difficult to make a connection with this 1.5-hour film, even if the people seem likable in here and listening to them does not only provide a great deal of information, but also may put a smile on your lips sometimes because they are just unintentionally funny with their quirks and comments. And it becomes obvious that they know a whole lot about the subject of this film. But I myself wonder if I really want to know a lot or learn a lot. Perhaps not, but that's just my bias with the topic that cannot entertain me really. By general standards, this film is a success I guess, just for a very limited target audience.

After the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, huge sections of the city were left an urban wasteland. For over four years director Hubertus Siegert followed the mammoth building projects in the city after the fall of the Berlin wall. He roughly covered the period 1995-2000, but from the film itself it's not quite clear what period is covered exactly. Geographically, the main focus is on Potsdamer Platz, the surroundings of the now finished Lehrter Stadtbahnhof, the government quarter and the surroundings of the Alexanderplatz (former East Berlin), where during the shooting of this film - besides endless political debate - nothing significant happened but where the main focus of the building activities has shifted during the last couple of years. No other city in he world has seen an urban renewal project on such a scale as Berlin in the '90s and it's still far from finished (if it ever will be). The film contains some stunning aerial footage, perhaps the only way to fully grasp the scale of the mammoth rebuilding in the city, greatly enhanced by the soundtrack from the Berlin group "Einstürzende Neubauten". Off course, it's not just the scale of these projects that are important, but also the political debates concerning the various projects touching not only Berlin but German history and identity as well. As a whole, the film is a little uneven, as it wavers between architectural documentary, spiritual journey and an overview of Berlin (and German) history. Nevertheless essential viewing for anyone with an interest in architecture, urban planning and history in general.Camera Obscura --- 7/10

I must admit it is a great movie. Although a documentary one it shows the scenes from the present-day Berlin, almost with Koyanisqaatsi-like atmosphere, with a great music from Einstuerzende Neubauten. I definitely recommend it.