Wieland Speck

Wieland Speck, b. 1951 - Director of Berlin International Film Festival’s Panorama section since 1992, director of "Westler" (1985), co-founder of the Teddy Award, founder of the production company for short films Kurzfilmverleih, screenwriter, film and TV producer, associate professor and film scholar. An integral part of Wieland Speck’s life and work is his political activism fighting for the rights of gay, lesbian and transgender people. Originally from the South German city of Freiburg in 1972, Speck moved to Berlin, where he became an activist in the Movement Homosexual Action Westberlin (Homosexuelle Action Westberlin). Activism greatly influenced the film work of the director. In 1985 Speck shot his first and most successful film Westler. The socio-political context of this film, about the love of two Germans from West and East, still draws the attention of various film festivals around the world. The film will be shown as part of a special event in St. Petersburg.

Having started making films and working in the film industry in Germany, Wieland Speck tries to draw public attention to the issue of homophobia, discrimination against gay and lesbian people and the legal disadvantage of LGBT people. In order to create public debate on discrimination against LGBT people, as well as develop LGBT cinema Speck founded the Teddy Award. The very first prize in 1987 was awarded then to an unknown Spanish director Pedro Almodovar for the film The law of Desire. Almodovar said that the Teddy is the most important and valuable prize he has received in his in entire life.

In 1992 Wieland Speck became the director of Berlin International Film Festival’s Panorama section, the purpose of which is to promote and provide platforms for films which are artistically, critically and socially innovative. Panorama is designed for films which could not survive in a purely commercially oriented film industry. Each year in the Panorama section several hundred full-length, shorts and documentaries from around the world are shown.

Westler directed by Wieland Speck will be shown in German language with Russian subtitles as part of the special event on Cinema and Civil Activism.

Also a collection of short films that have been awarded the Teddy over the last 20 years will be screened.

This is a story about a relationship between two gay men set in unconventional times, when East and West Germany were divided. Felix (Sigurd Rachman) has been in a happy relationship with an American from Los Angeles. One day when the American comes for a visit, the two travel to East Berlin where they meet Thomas (Rainer Strecker), and for Felix, that is the end of his relationship with the American. From then on, Felix travels back and forth to East Berlin as often as he possibly can, a dangerous activity because it always raises suspicions in the border guards. Sure enough, Felix is pulled over one day, and that's when the troubles begin. Their love is intense and passionate. But the Wall stands between their being together. There is a way out, a secret and dangerous way to escape, so they can be together. A way that will lead to either freedom or death. 'Westler' captures a moment in history and gives us a glimpse into the gay underworld of old communist East Berlin. It still stands today as a historic and classic documentation of two German lovers trying to be together West of the wall.