1995, when we organized the first festival CIRCLES OF CONFUSION under
the direction of Cordula Sandow, we looked for an active open scene in
Berlin. During the second festival 1996 we discussed with film producers
and film organizers strategies for better co-operation. Consistently we
initiated the project INDEPENDENT FILM NETWORK (IFN). With the first meeting
in March 1997 in the film art gallery Babylon center we started our monthly meetings with 30
film-interested people.
1997 we organized ten OPEN SCREENINGS & meetings at the Schmaltzwald in the Prater in Prenzlauer mountain with 20 to 70 visitors each. With one of these meetings Matthias Fritsch joint CIRCLES OF CONFUSION.
From 1998 to 2000 we presented thematic filmprograms from our festival archiv in combination with performances in Roter Salon at the theater Volksbühne.
1999 we moved the OPEN SCREENINGS from May to Septembers to Institut in Münzstrasse and from October 1999 monthly in the Eschschloraque in the Rosenthaler Straße.
2001 we organized the fifth and last festival CIRCLES OF CONFUSION which ended in a financial disaster and the end of the team.
Matthias Fritsch continued organizing OPEN SCREENINGS and transfered the festival's mailing list into the monthly newsletter IFN BERLIN, keeping the original idea of an INDEPENDENT FILM NETWORK in Berlin alive.
1997 we organized ten OPEN SCREENINGS & meetings at the Schmaltzwald in the Prater in Prenzlauer mountain with 20 to 70 visitors each. With one of these meetings Matthias Fritsch joint CIRCLES OF CONFUSION.
From 1998 to 2000 we presented thematic filmprograms from our festival archiv in combination with performances in Roter Salon at the theater Volksbühne.
1999 we moved the OPEN SCREENINGS from May to Septembers to Institut in Münzstrasse and from October 1999 monthly in the Eschschloraque in the Rosenthaler Straße.
2001 we organized the fifth and last festival CIRCLES OF CONFUSION which ended in a financial disaster and the end of the team.
Matthias Fritsch continued organizing OPEN SCREENINGS and transfered the festival's mailing list into the monthly newsletter IFN BERLIN, keeping the original idea of an INDEPENDENT FILM NETWORK in Berlin alive.
Since beginning of 2002 the OPEN SCREENINGS were more in flux and moved to new locations in the center of Berlin almost every event: places like the club TARAKAN, Die Neue Aktionsgallerie, GLAM, Eschschloraque, Pavillon am Volkspark Friedrichshain, Pfefferberg,
Aufbruchkino, Projekt-ion, Möbelfabrik, Glashaus among others were hosting the screenings. They were moderated by Matthias Fritsch, Nadin Tettschlag and Nicolai Wolf.
In September 2004 the OPEN SCREENING was part of the offpop-festival at Pfefferberg and was awarded by the OFFPOP AWARD in the film category for its concept and commitment. Around that time Xenia Helms took over the organisation and moderation of the OPEN SCREENINGS at Zentrale Randlage and later at Cinema Sputnik at Berlin Südstern where they ever since happen on a monthly bases every 3rd Wednesday with the support by the Sputnik team.
After 2010 the screenings were moderated by Carsten Wagner and since 2013 by Abbas Saberi.
The contact person is the leader of the cinema Andrea Stosiek.
In September 2004 the OPEN SCREENING was part of the offpop-festival at Pfefferberg and was awarded by the OFFPOP AWARD in the film category for its concept and commitment. Around that time Xenia Helms took over the organisation and moderation of the OPEN SCREENINGS at Zentrale Randlage and later at Cinema Sputnik at Berlin Südstern where they ever since happen on a monthly bases every 3rd Wednesday with the support by the Sputnik team.
After 2010 the screenings were moderated by Carsten Wagner and since 2013 by Abbas Saberi.
The contact person is the leader of the cinema Andrea Stosiek.