Berlin Symphony of a Great City

Walter Ruttman’s five-reel, silent, black and white, classic begins at dawn and shows an entire day of daily life in the city, ending at midnight, showing Berliners enjoying the city’s colourful nightlife. Ruttman re-creates documentary as, in his own words, "a melody of pictures." Held together by rhythm, movement, and theme, Ruttman creates a documentary that is both involving and visually beautiful. The film was heavily influenced by the earlier works of Russian filmmaker Dziga Vertov, and was itself very influential in fostering the "city symphony" or "opus" genre - such as ‘Regen (Rain)’, and ‘Manhatta’ also screening at the festival.