The day I landed in Germany for a month-long exchange program, I knew I had to visit the Deutsches FilmInstitut & Filmmuseum (DFF) in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Since the initial days of the motion pictures, Germans have been pathbreakers for filmmakers and film industries worldwide. German films like Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari; Der blaue Engel, Metropolis, and many others inspired different techniques and styles of filmmaking. DFF, founded in 1949, is home to not only a museum, but also an institution of cinema, teaching sound techniques, lighting, cinematography, storytelling, set design, and other affiliated aspects of the movies, and one of the largest film archives in Germany. The Museum shows us the means, methods and history of films. I got to see the works of some really famous and prominent filmmakers like the Lumiere Brothers, Walter Reimann, Wilfred Jackson, Wolfgang Peterson and so many more.
The museum had floors with specific styles like ‘filmic vision’ which predominantly included kaleidoscope-like narrative space dating back to the inventions and discoveries in the 19th Century. Whereas the second floor, ‘filmic narrative’ mainly focuses on the possibilities that have been and can be achieved by modern films. The architecture and exhibitions deepened my perception of films as a medium for education and learning.
There was a space similar to a studio where we could take a look at behind-the-scenes processes of film production, which I found to be the most interesting offering of the museum since I enjoy learning about post-production processes of movies. Visitors can actually participate and try their hand at the technical process involved in editing, sound design and affecting audience emotions through them , etc. I wish I had Shibangi and Abhinav to take me through this Museum so that I could know more in depth the significance and stories behind the exhibits.
This Museum should definitely be on film-mad people's bucket list. It entirely submerges us into the world of film. It takes us through some really cool and interesting pieces of art in the cinema industry.
You can learn more about the Deutsches FilmInstitut & Filmmuseum (DFF) here. Check out the gallery for more pictures.
Vidhi is a Consultant for Young Audience Impact with Breakfast@Cinema