Silent Film with Live Sound
A silent film classic with live coding and synthesizers, flickering 16mm footage, and an archive that is anything but static: 2026 begins at the Blauer Salon with an evening that brings film history and the present into collision. The event kicks off with a masterpiece of animation—accompanied by music that can only be created in the moment.
The new year has barely begun, and while some people are still opening their presents, we are already opening our film cans again. 2026 will be a year of noise, crackling, and experimentation for us—and it kicks off with a highlight that could hardly be more fitting for our cinema.
On Friday, January 16, 2026, we will be showing The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926) by Lotte Reiniger – one of the first feature-length animated films in film history and, to this day, a marvel of silhouette, color, and imagination. Flying carpets, magicians, demons, and distant realms unfold in delicate silhouettes that have lost none of their magic even after almost 100 years. Fun fact for your next bar conversation: without this film, the history of animated cinema would look quite different.
But we're not stopping at amazement. The rare 16mm copy is accompanied live by Andres Kaufmes and Tim Offenhäußer, who create an ever-changing soundscape with live coding and modular synthesizers. Instead of classic silent film music, you can expect a contemporary, improvised soundtrack full of noise, rhythm, and unexpected breaks—somewhere between controlled chaos and hypnotic pull.Every performance is unique. What you hear is created right at that moment.
The evening is part of our series Das Archiv lebt!, in which we bring analog film treasures back to the screen. As always, we will show a short film from the archive of HfG film history before the main film: Schauen Sie auf das kleine Vögelchen (Look at the Little Bird) (1998) by Anna Kalus. Two minutes, formally daring—and personally introduced by the filmmaker herself.
With this screening, we are not only opening our film year, but also the cultural year in the Blue Salon: analog, lively, and open to experimentation. The event starts at 8:00 p.m., admission is free, donations are welcome – and experience shows that arriving early pays off.
And make a note in your calendar:
February will be a musical treat: our popular Jazz in the Blue Salon Open Stage Session returns on February 20, 2026. No jazz dogmas, no pressure, just instruments on stage, wine in the foyer, and plenty of room for improvisation. More on that soon 💙