Under the motto “Action”, Film Restored 2025 throws a spotlight on agency and fast action in film and  film history, and on the swift work of those who rescue film material. From 22 to 26 October, the film heritage festival is celebrating its tenth year. Attendees of the festival can look forward to digital restorations, workshops, talks and discussions. Films made in thirteen countries will be shown, from as early as the 1910s and up until 2000. The Prize of the Association of German Cinematheques will also be presented during the festival. 

– with a touch of cult and a pinch of subversion

When the word “action” is used in combination with film, it quickly brings to mind the genre of the action film. Film Restored will not be lacking in the fist and sword fights, spectacular stunts and lightning-speed scenes and editing that define this genre. But the films selected go far beyond the boundaries of the much-vaunted Hollywood action genre—such as the long-lost, recently restored ‘Adventure on the Night Express’ (D 1925), in which Harry Piel captivates the audience with his breakneck feats on a speeding train. Or the equally influential and cult films ‘A Touch of Zen’ (TWN 1970) and ‘Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountains’ (HK 1983), which feature thrilling, skillfully choreographed fights. In the Mexican film ‘La mujer murciélago’ (1968), the eponymous “Batwoman” wrestles and dives her way through a dangerous plot—a pulp highlight that is being shown as a special event in the Kinemathek’s Hall. Finally, the festival is rounded off with an iconic film from the Hollywood action genre, namely, Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘North by Northwest’ (USA 1959).  

... and filmic calls to action

Action, however, is more than simply a genre. For this reason, the festival takes a further step and invites participants to rethink what action in film can mean. Take films like ‘Mein Feind’ (D 1993), which deals with violence against women and women’s violent fantasies, or ‘Lieber Herr Doktor’ (CH 1977), which deals with the subject of abortions. Then there is ‘The Heart of the Matter’ (USA 1994), which takes up the taboo of women and AIDS; and ‘Witches & Faggots, Dykes & Poofters’ (AUS 1980) that covers police attacks on attendees of Sydney’s first Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. These documentaries follow the work of activists or are themselves works of activism. They were made with the intention of stimulating discourse, action and change, and have succeeded in this, sometimes all the way to the level of political change.

... and acts of resistance

The films cited so far already demonstrate that a struggle for agency is a common theme in this year’s festival. Time and again, film history has defined action as an act of resistance within a limited scope of possibilities. At the festival, this resistance is manifested at different extremes. At one end, in ‘Home Sweet Home’ (BEL/FRA 1973), elderly residents in a brutally managed retirement home stage an uprising. At the other end, the action taken by characters like the exiled teacher in the visually stunning ‘Hakkâri'de Bir Mevsim’ (TR 1982) or the prisoner believed to be dead in ‘Happy Day’ (GR 1976) is to persevere and refuse to give up. In other words, action in film can sometimes be very quiet.  

– recovery and remembrance 

Film preservation is not a passive task; it involves a great deal of activity. Collecting, examining, cataloging, preserving, repairing, restoring, and ensuring the continued accessibility of films is the preserve of archives. It is also a prerequisite for being able to show the films at this festival. Highlights include Anke Wilkening’s workshop report on the documentary film ‘Women in Berlin’ (GDR 1982), whose director, Chetna Vora, smuggled her rough cut to West Berlin in an unprecedented rescue operation, thereby saving a video copy that has survived to this day. Chantal Partamian presents Katsakh, an archive of small-format documentaries. It aims not only to collect and preserve the suppressed history and cultural heritage in the Eastern Mediterranean but also to use these collaboratively with artists to create new perspectives on the past and the future. Memory as an active force! 

This year, for the 26th time, repertory cinemas and film culture initiatives will be awarded the Prize of the Association of German Cinematheques. Repertory cinemas are experts in getting across the many facets of “action” in film – and are themselves important players in making film heritage visible. The supporting program for the association’s award inspires cinemas to screen new restorations linked to the theme of action. The Honorary Prize of the Association of German Cinematheques in 2025 will be awarded to the philosopher and film scholar Heide Schlüpmann.