To mark the 120th anniversary of Billy Wilder’s birth (1906–2002), the New Synagogue Berlin Foundation – Centrum Judaicum, together with Urania Berlin e. V. and the Jewish Film Festival Berlin-Brandenburg, will present the film series “From Berlin to Hollywood” in spring 2026.
Image above: By courtesy of the artist
However, Wilder was just one of many Jews who initially worked on Berlin stages and later in the American film industry – such as the actor Alexander Granach, the director Ernst Lubitsch, and the screenwriter Vicki Baum.
They shaped Berlin’s culture during the Weimar Republic and, after arriving in the USA, played a crucial role in shaping the burgeoning film industry in Hollywood. This film series puts these Jewish filmmakers in the spotlight, highlighting the continuities in their work between Berlin and Hollywood and thus underscoring their place in film history.
The program connects key works of American exile cinema with the multifaceted experiences of these Jewish filmmakers, whose biographies and themes oscillate between Berlin, Vienna, Warsaw, Los Angeles, and New York. The selection reflects both individual life paths and collective experiences of flight, exile, and cultural reorientation.
The screenings will take place at the participating institutions on a rotating basis; the opening event on March 17, 2026, will be held at the Urania Berlin.
Each screening will be followed by a moderated discussion with Knut Elstermann and other cultural figures.
WHEN?
Opening: Tuesday, 17. March 2026, 7.30 pm
Exhibition: Tuesday, 17. March – Sunday, 10 May 2026
WHERE?
Stiftung Neue Synagoge Berlin – Centrum Judaicum
Oranienburger Str. 28-30
10117 Berlin
Urania Berlin e. V.
An d. Urania 17
10787 Berlin
, the New Synagogue Berlin Foundation – Centrum Judaicum, together with Urania Berlin ... Cultural news, art exhibitions + art events to discover.){kind=link}