Goethe-Institut Kanada | Language. Culture. Germany.

Magazine "Gegenüber": Issue #3 Being Kafka

Why does Franz Kafka’s spell remain unbroken a hundred years after his death? Why do we still perceive Kafka as so modern and contemporary? Because Kafka wrote such beautiful letters? Because we love drama queens? Because we feel that the world has never been more Kafkaesque than it is today? Join us as we step into Kafka’s world in this issue of the transatlantic magazine Gegenüber! Be Kafka!

Why do we still find Kafka so modern and current? Illustration by Roberto Maján

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From September 2023 to early February 2024, the Goethe-Institut Montreal presents a programme of 20 video works from n.b.k Video-Forum’s extensive video art collection, curated by Anna Lena Seiser.

Videostill Kristina Paustian, Positions, 2018 © die Künstlerin / n.b.k. © Kristina Paustian / n.b.k. © Kristina Paustian / n.b.k.

History
German Traces in Canada

Discover Canada from a new perspective and join us on a multimedia search for traces of German immigration in Canada.

Deutsche Spuren in Kanada © Goethe-Institut

Berlinale Bloggers 2024

“We are particularly proud of this year’s selection which achieves the best possible balance between auteurs we cherish and admire and powerful new voices in the independent cinema landscape,“ says Carlo Chatrian, Artistic Director, about the nominated Berlinale films. Germany's largest film festival will take place in Berlin from 15 to 25 February 2024. Our bloggers from around the world will be reporting on new films and the people behind them, impressions of the German capital, awards ceremonies and more. Read along!

Eine Illustration von vier Menschen © Tobias Schrank / Goethe-Institut © Tobias Schrank / Goethe-Institut

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The Onleihe is Goethe-Institut’s digital library (eLibrary). More than 23,000 German language eBooks, audio books, movies, materials for German language learners, magazines and newspapers are available for downloading from the Onleihe.

Ehe woman listens to digital media from the Onleihe and walks past waiting people at the bus stop in the rain. Illustration: Maria Tran Larsen © Goethe-Institut

Suggestions from our editors

Movie review | Berlinale Blogger
"Seven Veils" : Close The Curtain

"Seven Veils" is the latest feature film from prolific Canadian director Atom Egoyan. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023 before being screened at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in 2024.

Seven Veils © Amanda Matlovich / Headless Films Inc. © Amanda Matlovich / Headless Films Inc.

Reiner Stach
Franz Kafka in the 21st century

Why do we continue to find Franz Kafka so compelling 100 years after his death? Why is Kafka still considered to be so modern and contemporary? What awaits us in Kafka’s anniversary year of 2024? Reiner Stach, Kafka’s most important biographer, provides us with some answers.

Kafka at the age of 34 in July 1917 © Wagenbach Verlag (Art work: Tobias Schrank) © Wagenbach Verlag (Art work: Tobias Schrank)

Leipzig Book Fair
Barbi Marković wins the fiction prize at the Leipzig Book Fair

Author Barbi Marković was awarded the Leipzig Book Fair prize for fiction. Other awards went to art historian Tom Holert and translator Ki-Hyang Lee.

Photo: The three award winners Ki-Hyang Lee, Tom Holert and Barbi Marković are at the Leipzig Book Fair. Ki-Hyang Lee holds a bouquet of flowers. The following is written on the wall in the background: "20 Jahre Preis der Leipziger Buchmesse (20 years of the Leipzig Book Fair Prize)" Photo (Detail): Hendrik Schmidt © picture alliance/dpa Photo (Detail): Hendrik Schmidt © picture alliance/dpa

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