Chetna Vora's ethnographic portrait East German women living in Berlin in the early 80s, a film which was almost destroyed.
In 1982, Indian born filmmaker Chetna Vora, was studying at the Academy of Film and Television in Potsdam-Babelsberg, and set out to create a film that was to serve as her diploma project. However, after refusing to cut her film down to 40 minutes, the only working copy was confiscated by the University and destroyed.
What remains is a secretly recorded VHS, creating an imperfect document of what the film would have been. The film’s raw and unfinished state adds an additional layer of poignancy and reflects an intimate engagement with the domestic lives of women in the GDR, a distinct moment in German history, before the fall of the Berlin wall.
Her ability to capture the quiet resilience and everyday lives of East German women offers a rare glimpse into a world rarely seen through such a nuanced and foreign perspective.
GDR 1982 Dir Chetna Vora 140 min DCP
Ticket prices
Students £11
Unwaged £11
Over 60s £11
Under 18s £6
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Cinema 3
Location
Barbican Cinema 2 & 3 are located on Beech Street, a short walk from the Barbican’s Silk Street entrance. From Silk Street, you’ll see a zebra crossing that will take you across the road to the venue.
Address
Beech Street
London
EC2Y 8DS
Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.
We’ve plenty of places for you to relax and replenish, from coffee and cake to wood-fired pizzas and full pre-theatre menus
Access
Cinemas 2 & 3 are located at Beech Street, a short walk from the Barbican Centre’s main Silk Street entrance. There are a couple of steep, dropped kerbs and an incline to negotiate between the two sites. Level access from Beech Street.
Mobility
Each auditorium has three permanent wheelchair spaces (two in the third row and one in the front row) and 153 fixed seats with capacity for a further three spaces in the front row. Access to each auditorium is up a ramp. There are also a number of seats with step-free access.
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Hearing facility
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