At the Caligari and the Murnau Filmtheater, we are presenting a series of films focusing on people, space, and mobility in cooperation with the WAZ—Wiesbaden Architecture Center. The series kicks off with Ulrich Köhler’s second feature film, in which he explores the challenges faced by the 30-plus generation in settling into family life. In Köhler’s film, the nuclear family model proves to be a restrictive straitjacket from which a woman and mother breaks free. She embarks on an aimless journey in which she rediscovers the freedom she believes she has lost within her family.

Köhler creates powerful imagery that makes the familiar and the everyday seem threatening.

Introduction: Helmut Boerdner, WAZ – Wiesbaden Architecture Center

Germany 2006, 92 minutes, FSK: 12 and up

It is not in Monte Carlo, but in Campione d'Italia, a small Italian enclave on Lake Lugano, that Europe’s largest casino is located—a casino that is also the largest, if not the only, employer for the residents of this small village. For over a century, the people have lived in the shadow of their casino. The town drew enormous wealth from gambling, yet at the same time fell into a dangerous dependency. With the casino’s sudden bankruptcy, Campione plunged into an existential crisis. But what happens when luck runs out?

In their sensitive film, directors Michele Cirigliano and Anton von Bredow tell the story of a village that refuses to give up. At the center is the monumental building by star architect Mario Botta—a symbol of past dreams and future opportunities. ARCHITECTURE OF HAPPINESS is an optimistic portrait of community, change, and the search for a new identity.

Introduction: Helmut Boerdner, WAZ – Wiesbaden Architecture Center

Germany/Switzerland 2025, 83 minutes, FSK: 0, Original version with subtitles

With *Koyaanisqatsi*, director Godfrey Reggio created a fascinating masterpiece that became a fan favorite thanks to its distinctive visual style and the music of star composer Philip Glass. An extraordinary documentary about human intervention in nature—presented through a unique interplay of image and sound.

"Without words, spectacular footage of untouched nature and the bustling life of the city captivates us. Through time-lapse and slow-motion sequences, accompanied by unforgettable music composed by the exceptional Philip Glass, they tell the story of the emergence of humanity and its transformation of the world, while posing the critical question of the future of a form of life that is growing ever more numerous and, at the same time, seems to be becoming increasingly restless. It is no coincidence that the title, which comes from the language of the Hopi Indians, means something like: "Life out of balance." filmkunstkinos.de

Introduction: Helmut Boerdner, WAZ - Wiesbaden Architecture Center

USA 1982, 86 minutes, FSK: 6 and up, Original Version