In the 1970s, the radical left was in turmoil worldwide, and the boundaries between art and political activism were blurring. In 1974, the Japanese screenwriter and director Masao Adachi, known for his experimental and provocative works, made a radical turn and joined the “Japanese Red Army” (JRA) founded by Fusako Shigenobu in Lebanon. This extremist group fights for global revolution alongside the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Lutz Dammbeck's documentary film BRUNO & BETTINA explores the connections between political utopias, militant struggles and the role of art in revolutionary movements. Adachi's story serves as a starting point for an in-depth analysis: How does an artist become a guerrillero? What motives drive intellectuals into armed struggle? And what remains of these radical ideals decades later? Dammbeck combines archive material, interviews and artistic reflections to trace the roots of this political and artistic radicalism. In his multi-layered documentary, he not only questions the strategies of the New Left, but also the relationship between ideology and individual responsibility. BRUNO & BETTINA was presented at several international festivals and received acclaim for its precise research and visual narrative style.
Documentary
1h 41min
16
DE
DE
Masao Adachi, a well-known Japanese screenwriter and director, joined the Japanese Red Army in 1974.
In the 1970s, the radical left was in turmoil worldwide, and the boundaries between art and political activism were blurring. In 1974, the Japanese screenwriter and director Masao Adachi, known for his experimental and provocative works, made a radical turn and joined the “Japanese Red Army” (JRA) founded by Fusako Shigenobu in Lebanon. This extremist group fights for global revolution alongside the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
Lutz Dammbeck's documentary film BRUNO & BETTINA explores the connections between political utopias, militant struggles and the role of art in revolutionary movements. Adachi's story serves as a starting point for an in-depth analysis: How does an artist become a guerrillero? What motives drive intellectuals into armed struggle? And what remains of these radical ideals decades later?
Dammbeck combines archive material, interviews and artistic reflections to trace the roots of this political and artistic radicalism. In his multi-layered documentary, he not only questions the strategies of the New Left, but also the relationship between ideology and individual responsibility. BRUNO & BETTINA was presented at several international festivals and received acclaim for its precise research and visual narrative style.