Margarethe von Trotta
11 Sep - 09 Nov 2025
Curators: Marius Babias, Michaela Richter
Neuer Berliner Kunstverein (n.b.k.) presents a major retrospective of legendary filmmaker Margarethe von Trotta (*1942 in Berlin). In 1981, she became the first woman to be awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, for The German Sisters (Die bleierne Zeit), a drama inspired by the story of the Ensslin sisters. Throughout this and many other works, von Trotta pioneered the exploration of German history, iconic female figures, and the relationship between the personal and the political – particularly from a female perspective. The exhibition features numerous film excerpts as well as photographs, script drafts, and diary entries (some of them previously unpublished), providing insight into von Trotta’s life and work. It also highlights her intensive engagement with influential thinkers such as Rosa Luxemburg, Hannah Arendt, Hildegard von Bingen, and Ingeborg Bachmann, as well as her long-standing collaboration with major actors including Angela Winkler, Jutta Lampe, Katja Riemann, and Barbara Sukowa, who repeatedly played leading roles in her films. The exhibition at n.b.k. is accompanied by a film series at Babylon Kino.
A project in cooperation with Babylon Kino, Berlin
Free admission to the exhibition
Neuer Berliner Kunstverein (n.b.k.) presents a major retrospective of legendary filmmaker Margarethe von Trotta (*1942 in Berlin). In 1981, she became the first woman to be awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, for The German Sisters (Die bleierne Zeit), a drama inspired by the story of the Ensslin sisters. Throughout this and many other works, von Trotta pioneered the exploration of German history, iconic female figures, and the relationship between the personal and the political – particularly from a female perspective. The exhibition features numerous film excerpts as well as photographs, script drafts, and diary entries (some of them previously unpublished), providing insight into von Trotta’s life and work. It also highlights her intensive engagement with influential thinkers such as Rosa Luxemburg, Hannah Arendt, Hildegard von Bingen, and Ingeborg Bachmann, as well as her long-standing collaboration with major actors including Angela Winkler, Jutta Lampe, Katja Riemann, and Barbara Sukowa, who repeatedly played leading roles in her films. The exhibition at n.b.k. is accompanied by a film series at Babylon Kino.
A project in cooperation with Babylon Kino, Berlin
Free admission to the exhibition