Vidéolettres Robert Kramer / Stephen Dwoskin

Between February and June 1991, Robert Kramer and Stephen Dwoskin sent seven video letters to each other—four by Kramer, three by Dwoskin, all of them shot on Hi8. Two Americans living in diaspora, one in England, one dividing his time between Berlin, Normandy and Paris. Kramer’s letters are explorations in which a direct line runs between the eyes and ears (the body) and their immediate surroundings. George Bush Sr.’s sermons about the Second Gulf War that enter Kramer’s Berlin work space from the TV screen; the banks of the Landwehr Canal, where Rosa Luxemburg was murdered in 1919; Kramer’s house on the Seine. Kramer: “The video letters to Steve—that was great. I don’t remember how we started to do it. It was in the shadow of BERLIN 10/90. I like this idea of shooting in the camera. All my letters are shot on direct. What you see is what was shot. The sound is in that period of time. Both of us like it very much.” (Volker Pantenburg)

All retrospective films that will be shown at the Filmmuseum after the Viennale - from 30.10. - can of course also be reserved as usual at filmmuseum.at or by calling 01/533 70 54 and purchased at the box office of the Austrian Film Museum. The prices of the Austrian Film Museum apply.

Robert Kramer (selection): IN THE COUNTRY (1967), THE EDGE (1968), ICE (1969), MILESTONES (1975), SCENES FROM THE CLASS STRUGGLE IN PORTUGAL (1977), GUNS (1980), NOTRE NAZI (1984), DOC'S KINGDOM (1987), X-COUNTRY. BEING A WEDDING BETWEEN US AND THE FARABUNDO MARTÍ LIBERATION FRONT IN PRESIDENT MONROE’S OLD HOUSE (1987/2022), ROUTE ONE/USA (1989), VIDÉOLETTRES ROBERT KRAMER / STEPHEN DWOSKIN (1991), WALK THE WALK (1996), CITÉS DE LA PLAINE (2000)