History of the Project - Synopsis

    From the horrors of World War II to the reign of Communism to a city and a people divided by a Wall, Berlin has been alternately bound and shattered by its history. But In 1989, the Wall fell, opening the floodgates. Now,over a decade later, Berliners are going through the process of reunification, rebuilding and reconciliation. This is where Berlin Metamorphoses, a documentary produced by Bolthead Communications, begins to tell the story of the transformation taking place in Berlin.

    The film's opening sequence is a montage of the city's enduring symbol, the Brandenburg Gate, which has been a silent witness to Berlin's turbulent history during the past century. The archival footage moves us through the changes beginning with the peaceful times of the Weimar Republic, to the Nazi era, to the Gate in smoldering ruins at the end of World War II, to the Gate trapped behind the Wall during the time the city was divided, to the triumphant reopening of the Gate when the Wall came down.

    Filmed in the fall 2001 and spring through the fall 2002, we hear and see the changes which have been taking place since the fall of the Wall. Over seventy five individuals living in Berlin, including Germany's President, Johannes Rau; columnist and publisher of the Berlin newspaper Tagespiel, Hermann Rudolph; speak about the changes. Berliners from every discipline: artists, students, educators, immigrants, government officials, city planners, and entrepreneurs all express their point of view. These voices are woven together with archival and present day footage in an essay to present the interaction of present day Berlin and its history.

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