Filme der Anarchistischen GummiZelle

Originating at the Düsseldorf Art Academy in the late 1970’s, anarchist collective and performance group AGZ (The Anarchist GummiZelle) used 8mm in a highly inventive and playful way. AGZ’s founders were all significant (and radical) artists in their own right. AGZ regarded 8mm filmmaking as a tool with which to create as much mayhem and mischief as possible. Their work wasn’t intended to be consumed passively. Screenings were events. As soon as the audience saw the credit, “AGZ shows ...”, it knew to expect something mind-bending, with live soundtracks,” “self-built rockets” and “warm fish sticks” at the very least. The group went quiet in the 1990’s but reunited in 2002. A year later, it received funding from the Filmstiftung NRW to digitise its work from the 1980’s – and this helped a new generation to discover its glories. The often bafing titles of the films and performances give a sense of the subversive intentions of the group. 40 years on, the work still retains the ability to startle and bemuse audiences. (Geofrey Macnab)

All films in OV. Prints Courtesy of Filmmuseum Düsseldorf:

TRAILER, 1981, Anarchistische GummiZelle, 2 Minuten

IM RHENUSHAUS, 1981, Anarchistische GummiZelle, 8 Minuten

AUTOS ROT BLAU GELB, 1982, Bertram Jesdinsky, 3 Minuten

DER PILGERSTROM, 1982, Uli Sappok, 5 Minuten

WO IST KNT, 1983, Otto Müller, 17 Minuten

NACH DEM KRIEG FUHR JOHNNY NACH WIEN, 1983, Stefan Ettlinger, 2 Minuten 

DEUTSCHLANDREISE, 1983, Uli Sappok, 2 Minuten

HOLLYWOOD IN HOCHFELD, 1981, Uli Sappok, 6 Minuten

AN EINEM DONNERSTAG WIE JEDER, 1982, Stefan Ettlinger, 4 Minuten

DEUTSCHLANDREISE 2, 1991, Uli Sappok, 1 Minute

GEMÜTSZUSTÄNDE EINER APFELSINE, 1981, Uli Sappok, 3 Minuten

DER SCHWARZE FILM, 1981, Otto Müller, 4 Minuten

DER SONNTAGSSPAZIERGANG, 1982, Bertram Jesdinsky, 2 Minuten

DER NARRATIVE FILM, 1988, Uli Sappok, 4 Minuten