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The 2023 Short Film Series - Berlin is a unique opportunity for film lovers to discover the latest works and connect with fellow fans and  industry professionals. The organizers look forward to presenting two nights full of film joy and unforgettable moments. The festival will take place from May 9th to 10th, 2023 at the Lichtblick Kino - Kastanienallee 77, Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin     +49 030 44 05 81 79. Tickets can be purchased at the theater box office or online at lichtblick-kino.org Film Program:   09. Mai 2023 18:30 Uhr   Concrete Forms of Resistance   27min UK/Großbritannien 2019 Director/Regie: Nick Jordan   Filmed in Lebanon, Concrete Forms of Resistance is a documentary centered upon the abandoned ‘Permanent International Fair’ in Tripoli, designed by the Modernist architect Oscar Niemeyer in the mid-1960s. The film presents themes of progress and crisis, labour and capital, material and memory, contrasting the utopian vision of the original plans with the stark realities of sectarian divisions, regional conflicts and rising economic inequalities. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Linha (Line)    3 min Brazil/Brasilien 2018 Director/Regie: Francisco Lira   Two men from the same community go out to work and their lives intersect in an unexpected way. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Frida    21 min Tunisia/Tunesien 2021 Director/Regie: Mohamed Bouhjar   Frida, a school teacher, a women rights and equality advocate, struggles to keep her job by confronting her colleagues, the parents and the institution. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A Obra Final (The Final Masterpiece)   15 min Brazil/Brasilien 2021 Director/Regie: Patrick Hanser   Two retired detectives, who were active during the Brazilian dictatorship, must confront the past when asked to depose to a Truth Commission regarding their investigation into the suicide of an artist and his infamous last masterpiece. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Brooklyn Park   15 min USA  2019 Director/Regie: Nikola Duravcevic   Chronicling a single night in the life of Somali rideshare driver Abdi, Brooklyn Park is a modern day immigrant tale that explores alienation, grief, and transcendence. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 20:30 Uhr A Terra Em Que Pisar (The Land Beneath Our Feet)    25 min Brazil/Brasilien 2020 Director/Regie: Fáuston da Silva   Official Selection 2021 Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival Joana decides to participate in an irregular occupation. This decision will give you much more than a home, but a new political conscience. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Val-E-Ree    10 min USA 2022 Director/Regie: Samantha Lavin   Val, a former firefighter, now a shut-in, struggles against her agoraphobia with help from her neighbor. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Amnestia    15 min Brazil/Brasilien 2019 Director/Regie: Susanna Lira   This film is about the pardon requests sent out by the "Amnesty Caravans" to all those whose lives were affected by Brazil's Military Dictatorship. The work is entirely composed of archive material and is narrated by Paulo Abraão, former National Secretary of Justice. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Los Anillos de la Serpiente (The Rings of the Serpent)    25 min Chile 2020 Director/Regie: Edison Cajas   Chile, 1991. Ana, a brilliant forensic medicine professor, works to teach the country's future doctors. She lives with her daughter, Úrsula, who suffers from autism. One day, Ana's name appears on TV, on a list of former agents of the dictatorship. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++   10. Mai 2023 18:30 Uhr Get Home Safe   14 min Germany/Deutschland 2021 Director/Regie: Tamara Denic' (will be present for Q&A session)   Maya is a volunteer at the Way-Home-Phone, a service for anyone who feels unsafe on the way home at night, and would like a reassuring voice to accompany them through the night. One evening, she receives a call from Lea, who shortly before had an unpleasant encounter with a stranger. At first Maya wants to have the usual conversation with her, but soon it turns out that Lea is being followed by the stranger. Maya now tries everything to help her. But she has no idea that this call will also change her life forever. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Katvoman (Catwoman)  8 min Iran  2022 Director/Regie: Hadi Sheibani   Mother and son played Catwoman-Batman Game before father came in. Meanwhile, some noise and screams are heard from the next door; it seems the man next door hurt his wife. It's time for the father to play a role in the game before the son finds out what he did. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Molaqat (Sandstorm)  20 min Pakistan  2021 Director/Regie: Semab Gul   Official selection at Biennale di Venezia 2021 Official selection at Sundance Film Festival 2022 Zara, a schoolgirl in Karachi (Pakistan), shares a sensual dance video with her virtual boyfriend, who uses it to blackmail her. Caught between his manipulative behaviour and the desire to experience love on her own terms, Zara searches for the strength to reject the confines of a patriarchal society. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Letter Room  32 min USA  2020 Director/Regie: Elvira Lind   2021 Oscar nominated, Tribeca Film Festival 2020, Palm Springs International Film Festival 2020. When a corrections officer is transferred to the letter room, he soon finds himself enmeshed in a prisoner's deeply private life. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 20:30 Uhr Un Amor en Rebeldía (A Rebellion for Love)    14 min Mexico 2018 Director/Regie: Tania Claudia Castillo   In the late 70's, Yan María Castro founded the first lesbian feminist group in Mexico. Within a climate of discrimination and repression, Yan María and her group organized a political movement to win their place in society. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Frida    23 min Germany/Deutschland 2021 Director/Regie: Aleksandra Odic'   Awarded in Cannes with the Queer Palm for short movie 2021 Cannes Film Festival LGBT+  An encounter between a young nurse and her patient of the same age, Frida, on the border of professional distance and the desire for closeness. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Erdbewegungen (Deep Down Digger)  8 min Germany/Deutschland  2019 Director/Regie: Marie Christin König   Hannah begrudgingly starts working for Eli, the caretaker of a cemetery. Faced with Eli’s quirkiness, Hannah feels uneasy at first. But soon a trusting relationship starts to form. At this peaceful place, surrounded by death, Hannah is able to find some life. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Same Old  15 min USA/Canada  2022 Director/Regie: Lloyd Lee Choi   One bad night for a New York City delivery driver. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Skin (Haut)  20 min USA  2018 Director/Regie: Guy Nattiv   2019 Oscar winner best live action short film The Oscar-winning short film. In a small supermarket in a blue collar town, a black man smiles at a 10 year old white boy across the checkout aisle. This innocuous moment sends two gangs into a ruthless war that ends with a shocking backlash. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  

Installing the BBC iPlayer App is the quickest route   https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=bbc.iplayer.android&hl=en&gl=US   https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/bbc-iplayer/id416580485

So, you could buy the 9€ ticket for cash from the machine at the station. Say, on the first of the month. Or on the 22nd, still good value for a couple of trips in nine days.   If you want a ticket for May 2023 you have to order it by April 10, is that right? Can you buy it later? And then remember to cancel the subscription😕 .. This month I spent €31 on transit, much less than €49. Oftentimes I spend €70+ in a month. Might need to do a bit of planning to get the best deal.

The mind boggles...

Totally wacky. Headless chicken in panic mode. Much flapping of wings. Feathers flying. Oh dear. She is not handling this well.   Try to be glad you are out of it. Easily said, I know.   Do not communicate with the woman further. Or any of her clients.   Get thee to the Arbeitsamt soonest. This too shall pass. Although it really shouldn t be this way. Stinks.

Congratulations on your daughter's engagement!   What makes you think a commercial shipment to the U.S. with a family heirloom is exempt from a customs declaration?  I have shipped many packages from Germany to the U.S. using DHL, FedEx, and UPS, and all required a customs declaration regardless of content or value.  Nothing I shipped to the U.S. was assessed duties.

Countdown presenters.

I'm currently working a part time job in a bottle factory and I have been there for 7 months, past the probezeit period.   Last night while I was working, the head manager approached me and completely snapped. "You need to move your ass! There is this and that and this and that to do, and you are still doing this task!...etc, etc, etc, everyone has been complaining about how slow you are, etc etc etc, if I have to come speak to you again, you can expect a termination because this job isn't for you!"   I told him, "You can't do that--I'm past the probation period, you haven't given me any written reprimands or have me sign a statement saying that this issue has been addressed with me, and my contract doesn't end until August" and he yelled "SONDERKÜNDIGUNG!"   I'm not too particularly concerned about this job, it's a simple part time job in a bottle factory I'm doing for extra cash...but it does bother me if he's saying that he has the right to enforce a "sonderkündigung" past the probation period despite lack of any written reprimands. I can't find anything about that in my contract. Can anyone elaborate on an employer's to enforce a sonderkündigung for reasons other than the obvious infractions of sexual harassment, assault, drugs, stealing, etc?

And let’s get on to the kun-vik-shuns!  Plz, Plz, Plz, …   🙏🙏🙏

  14 states are considering ICE bans.

@PandaMunich I love your answers even though I usually understand less than half unless I really concentrate because I have no clue about the subjects. But I absolutely love how much time & effort you put into helping and your patience in answering follow up questions as well.

I got a message on WhatsApp. I had to ask for a letter.

  On mine, they're fixed...   But then again, my balisong /  butterfly-knife folds up.

Your thesis statement should be a clear and concise statement that summarizes the main argument or point of your paper. It should be specific and debatable, and guide the direction of your research.  The custom thesis is also required when teaching German. I wish you good luck.

  He obviously has a wry sense of humour. He took a dig at the German New Year's Eve tradition of watching "Dinner for One" and it was taken in good humour, too. He's two years younger than me, so we practically grew up together. 

Thanks, Yeah, I talked to a couple of other people and they said the same. Consulted a lawyer and he said that there are many cases like this and they don't have anything and mostly they are thrown out, but the lawyer was asking for a flat rate of upwards of 2500 euros for the case. And there I though why would I pay such a huge amount for something I didn't even do. So I'll just write to them myself that I wasn't even there and I have a contract to prove that.

Very good advice so far.  Age 15 with school learned German is very tricky. Do you have a specific Munich area in mind? I’d suggest speaking to the relevant Schulamt that can advise you on possible suitable public or private schools. Unlike the UK, going back one or two school years is very common here and absolutely no shame. The age difference in a class can be up to 2 years or so.     We moved here when my daughter was 10. She too was very optimistic and that helped a lot. With lots of private tuition, she got a good Abitur and now at a German university. I’m not familiar with the UK university system though from my daughter’s search for a bachelor course here, compared with her UK friends, it seemed far more important here to select a course that’s very likely to be career relevant in future.  There are lots of private universities that may be less concerned about Abitur or equivalent grades. On main university websites, there are tables that show the number of applicants for each course over the last several years and which current minimum Abitur grade is acceptable. More applications, higher grade required.  All the best.   

Saw that as of the start of this month, the 12c gas price cap comes into place. What happens if the gas price you pay is less than 12c anyway? If I look at Eon today as an example, it's 10.97c as of 30.03.2023.

OK. We'll try it and see how it works! Thanks for the advice!

Why not go to your friendly neighborhood Schützenverein and ask there? They will know to the laws down to dotting the "T´s" and crossing the "i´s" Heck, if you join up they will probably be able to organize the transport.

Melanie Phillips - why I left the Left.

  Correct, as it would be a waste of softened water.  In my house, the pipe for the outside faucet is immediately after the main water shutoff valve so it was easy to exclude it when adding the softener.  The break in the piping for the softener is after the pipe for the outside faucet.