Brigitte Neufeldt
German video creator
Her videos can be reviewed on
Jewish Life in Halle/Saale, 2005/2015, 4:30
http://sfc.engad.org/video/?p=952
Güterbahnhof/Freight Depot of Halle/Saale, 2005/2016 , 06:26
http://sfc.engad.org/video/?p=948
Interview: 10 Questions
1. Tell me something about your life and the educational background
Short introduction of myself: I am Brigitte Neufeldt and near 69 age. I have a bad childhood and very quick I know that also in the bad things are hidden good things. One of this good things was the possibility to visit the school “ANNE-FRANK” in the city of Mainz. Those years were deciding for me- the formative years of my life. It was the special spirit I could feel in this school and this feeling I never lost as yet.
After a lot of years in my first job as a geriatric nurse I have had an accident. This was a substantial break in my life because during the healing process and the convalescence I thought about my future. So I decided to make a better school qualification and to study.
I am studying between 1996- 2001 and finished these studies of FINE ARTS with a diploma. My diploma was sustained by a video!!! My first video.
After them I make my master at the University of Halle -Wittenberg. I finished with the Master of Arts
2. When, how and why started you filming?
I started with filming in the year 1998- still studying Fine Arts at HBK.SAAR. It was my first video. The reason why I want to work with are the circumstances around this area of the “Völklinger Hütte” between the World WAR II. A lot of people had to work in this ironwork as forces labourer – and so I want to show a performance in a courtyard in the environment of the University of Saarbrücken. And to record this special performance to present during my diploma exam!
3. How do you develop your films, do you follow certain principles, styles etc?
I develop my films mostly with a theme. A theme which I can see in my minds eye- only with moved pictures and not painted or in another kind of fine arts and my media.
Often I produce films which have as base a special sound or I fancy the song, sometimes I take voices from actors around where I live and combine the spoken words with recordings of nature. My last movie was a deconstruction of the book from Irmgard Keun ” Das kunstseidene Maedchen” . The speaker was a young lady and she has spoken selected sentences from the book and the outcome was a mix e.g. her whole face or only her mouth.
4. What was the reason to start your film included in Shoah Film Collection. Tell me the story behind your film? Why did you choose the given form of representation? Is your film included in Shoah Film Collection the first one dealing with the Holocaust?
The story behind my films are manifold but every time influenced of the spirit of Anne Frank school. So was my subject of research during the Master studies ” Jewish life in Halle Saale” in the years 2003 till 2005. Yes the film is included in SFC and was not my first dealing with the Holocaust.
5. What kind of meaning has the Holocaust to you personally? Are your family or friends affected or did the topic come by chance?
Personally, I have had some teacher in the ANNE FRANK SCHOOL who were affected and dealing with the life of ANNE FRANK.
6. Besides the historical relevance related to the persecuted Jews and other people, the Holocaust has a universal relevance. Why is the Holocaust affecting all humans anywhere?
My opinion is that the Holocaust was though indescribable horrible and after all the most survivors cannot speak about- there was no comparable events before. ( Perhaps as a exception the War I. in Armenia and the genocide .)
7. Now, nearly 70 years after World War II, unfortunately the last Holocaust survivors will be dying soon, and no authentic witness is left to transfer the memory of the Holocaust. The Holocaust is about to be marginalized and dehumanized to any other historical incident, whereby it is measured by its final result and less as an escalating process, countless human individuals were undergoing. What do you think might be ways to re-humanize, touch people again emotionally and keep vivid the memory this way?
At first I think is you go on like you are doing in the last ten years. I for myself will do also like I have done in the most years of my life: to aspire to a more active role in the awareness .
Being aware of this that the Holocaust survivors will be dying soon, to bring round the history of WORLD WAR II, the cruelty and barbarism.
Also keep in mind in the families and teach it in the schools. Take all possibilities to spread it and this – I mean – can we do with all our skills.
8. As a phenomenon, the Holocaust is blasting human imagination, which makes it nearly impossible for people to identify themselves with. What needs to be done, that people may find ways for self-identifying? What can do art for it?
We have to learn from each other and give the people a real picture of the phenomenon Holocaust. Also we must show more civil courage – against the voices who denies these incidents and to keep a wakeful eye on the new parties in Germany. They are not new but in they are only presenting and positioning themselves in a different way!!!
9. After the Holocaust and World War II, the traditional (static) visual art media were failing in transferring the memory of the Holocaust, while literature, theatre, music and film were much more successful. On the other hand, due to the new technologies, the boundaries between the “arts” dissolve nowadays and the doors are open to a new interdisciplinary approach. What are the chances for this new (interdisciplinary) perception based on socializing concepts for keeping vivid the memory of the Holocaust? In which way have they to influence the manifestations of Shoah Film Collection via the interventions like a symposium, artists meetings, workshops, exhibitions, performances, screenings, artists talks, discussions etc.
So sorry. I do not know an answer.
10. What are your future artistic plans? Do you plan to work on new projects dealing with the Holocaust or related topics like “collective trauma caused by totalitarianism”?
Yes , I will work on new projects dealing with the related topics like “collective trauma caused by totalitarianism.
Can works of yours viewed online besides on the Shoah Film Collection?
List some links & resources
permanent presented by:
1. patrice – boxes http://genero.tv/watch-video/37047/
2. rea garvey – rise before you fall http://genero.tv/view-submission/34154/
3. eric withacre – enjoy the silence http://genero.tv/watch-video/37135
place for me -live http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_z_5lDg_BM
wonderful girl http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIy-qFicYFc
helmut rauscher spielt konzert-gitarre: granados_andaluza.mp4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB-d__HJ8Pg
https://vimeo.com/104535393
https://vimeo.com/search?q=brigitte+neufeldt
https://vimeo.com/82213353