Ralf Schenk’s intelligence, empathy and rigour guided us invaluably in the process of building the retrospective “Rise and Fall of the Wall – The Cinema of East Germany” in 2019. His presence in Doclisboa was a gift and an honour and we are saddened to receive the news of his passing. We are grateful for his generosity.
Agnès Wildenstein, curator of the retrospective, and who worked closely with Ralf Schenk shared these words that we echo:
“In 2019, I had the pleasure to curate for Doclisboa in partnership with Cinemateca Portuguesa and Goethe-Institut Portugal, the retrospective “Rise and Fall of the Wall – The Cinema of East Germany”. Most of the films of that time were produced by the famous East German studio, the DEFA. This is why I had the privilege to meet and welcome in Lisbon, the Head of the DEFA Foundation, the journalist and film historian Ralf Schenk who recently and very suddenly passed away. His deep knowledge of East German cinema, his kindness and his sense of humor, will always be remembered. I want to pay him a tribute here and share the sadness that all the people who knew him are feeling today.”
Agnès Wildenstein
Film Curator
