Coming to NYC’s Rooftop Films tomorrow, Saturday, August 8: DIVINE LOCATION
Ulrike Franke and Michael Loeken’s subtle study of urban planning made its debut at DOK.fest Munich last year. Other screenings included Berlin, DocPoint Helsinki, Kassel Doc, and Duisburg Film Week.
Dortmund, the largest city in the Ruhr Area, has long been the seat of German industry, known for its coal mines and steel mills. In 2001, after Phoenix-East, one of the largest steelworks, shut down, plans began for the redevelopment of its site into luxury housing, centered around the construction of the new, man-made Phoenix Lake. Franke and Loeken chronicle this transformation over several years, while also witnessing the impact of this ambitious development on the working class neighborhood upon which it borders – an area which struggles to survive without the presence of its industrial base. While the real estate developers sit through marketing brainstorming sessions to best sell their future units to the right kind of clientele, current residents recognize the gentrification that’s coming their way. Through all this, the filmmakers maintain a tone of wry bemusement, managing to find moments of sheer absurdity, such as a heated battle over a massive remnant of the steelworks; an elaborate kick-off event presided over by Larry Hagman; and a meeting addressing the problem of geese attracted to the newly formed lake.
what (not) to doc 