Das Kino „International“ in Berlin

Built between 1961 and 1964 to designs by Josef Kaiser, the Kino “International” is an outstanding example of East German post-war modernism. As the DEFA premiere cinema it was a central venue for GDR film history, and it remains in continuous use today, not least as a Berlinale screening venue. Kaiser conceived the building as a cultural centre with library and club at the heart of the second construction phase of the Stalinallee; its dramatic circulation and the glazed upper-floor foyer overlooking the boulevard give the interior its particular appeal. Dietrich Worbs reconstructs the architecture in detail and situates its building history in the cultural politics of the GDR, adding portraits of Kaiser and of the sculptor Waldemar Grzimek (1918–1984), who designed the large-scale façade reliefs. The building's close ties with DEFA film history can also be traced: Frank Beyer's Spur der Steine had its premiere here in 1966, only to be withdrawn after three days — and was screened again in the same place shortly after 1989.