Wim Wiegmann and Hans Nieuwstraten : Berlin Doppelbild 1986-2009

23 years ago a divided and "double" Berlin was situated like an island in the middle of Eastern Europe. Especially Berlin West was very attractive for young people during the eighties. Many made the exciting trip across Eastern Germany and were confronted with gruff border agents at the beginning and the end of their journey.
In 1986 Wim Wiegmann and Rob Dieleman went to Berlin in order to make a film about Hans Nieuwstraten's West Berlin. Hans had a design job for the cultural magazine TIP, he knew the city and loved celebrating that with his friends. The serious hobby project resulted in a 'different' Berlin portrait. Unknown subcultures, obscure bookshops, the Anti-War Museum, bricked up metro stations and parts of 'the Wall' which was still emphatically present. But the cold war had had it longest time.......change was in the air.
In 2009 23 years after the first takes and nearly 20 years after the end of the Wall Wim and Hans revisited Berlin. What would it be like, what happened to the Anti War Museum, what about the former squatters and what would be left of the atmosphere at the time?
Wim and Hans took along some copies of the first video and started their adventure. Guided by friend and part-time taxi driver Jens an improvised search developed with sometimes unexpected meetings.
Berlin from 1986 had changed from a double city into a world city.
This double video is screened in Sub urban in a two-sided projection. It goes back and forth between 1986 and 2009, all subjects will appear in past and present. No time journey but a double image!

Berlin 1986 - 2009, duration 34” (2x 17”)