Premiere with “Glückskinder” Association makes open-air cinema possible in Bad Godesberg
Bad Godesberg · On 23 May, the association Kunst & Kultur Bad Godesberg will for the first time present the newly acquired open-air cinema screen, which was financed by a community budget project. Initially, there will be only one film shown at the Stadthalle.
On Wednesday evening, you could see from afar the huge structure that had been erected on a trial basis on the square in front of the “Konzertmuschel” (concert pavilion) of the Stadthalle. If you came closer, you immediately realised that it was a large, inflatable open-air screen. Sabine Köhne-Kayser, chair of the Bad Godesberg Art and Culture Association (Kukug), was herself a little surprised at how big the screen was. “It is seven by four metres,” says Köhne-Kayser. A small fan ensures that the construction, which is attached to flowerpots and columns, retains its shape. Peter Linden, project manager cinema at the Kukug, looked pleased with the screen as he took the new projector out of the car and set it up on a special tripod. The set-up served as a test.
Technology cost 20,000 euros
As reported, the association had applied for the “Bonn macht mit” community budget project two years ago. The proposal was to purchase a mobile cinema screen to show films for example in the Bad Godesberg parks. The idea was so well received by citizens and the Bonn Council that the association was awarded the contract for the purchase - the total cost was around 20,000 euros. Since a number of things have to be taken into account when showing films in public and then also via open-air screen, the association first had to gain the necessary expertise.
Film with Paul Kemp to be shown
For this reason, only one screening has initially been scheduled: On Tuesday, 23 May, the film “Glückskinder” with the Bad Godesberg actor Paul Kemp (born in Bad Godesberg in 1896 and buried in 1953 in the Burg cemetery) will be shown.
The film dates from 1936 and has been digitised by the Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau Foundation in Wiesbaden. “The foundation is gradually digitising films featuring Paul Kemp,” says the Kukug chairperson. The film begins at 8 p.m. Admission is free, but a hat will be passed around. People can bring their own seats or rent them for a fee.
Plot of the film
Success unfortunately eludes Gil Taylor (Willy Fritsch) who is working as a court reporter in New York. When he sees the beautiful Ann Garden (Lilian Harvey) sitting in the dock, he vows to never to such a woman go to prison and he marries her to save her from this fate.
In time, Gil really falls in love with the opaque beauty, partly because he is firmly convinced that Ann is a millionaire heiress. Strange events and entanglements soon start to happen, making him slowly suspicious and he decides to uncover what is going on. It doesn't take long before they find out about each other...
Kemp lived at Theaterplatz
It is no coincidence that a film with Paul Kemp is being premiered, says the chairperson. He was a well-known actor during his lifetime. He grew up in the old Bad Godesberg Bachstraße, which was later renamed Paul-Kemp-Straße. Later he lived in a flat on Theaterplatz. “His life and work were certainly not easy, because Paul Kemp was gay and that was during the Nazi era,” says Köhne-Kayser. The Bonn author Claus Vaske, who has dealt intensively with the subject matter, will give an introduction.
Open-air cinema, “Glückskinder with Paul Kemp”, Tuesday, 23 May, 8 p.m., Konzertmuschel (concert pavilion) at the Stadthalle Bad Godesberg
Original text: Maximilian Mühlens
Translation: Jean Lennox
