Film+MusikFest: Joe May: Asphalt

Step back into the glittering streets of 1920s Germany in Joe May’s silent film *Asphalt*, presented now as part of the Film+MusikFest lineup. In this atmospheric tale of love, theft, and intrigue, Sergeant Holt pursues a seductive jewel thief, finds himself entangled in romance, and ultimately becomes the very suspect he sought to unearth. With the backdrop of a lavish, purpose‑built shopping boulevard at Babelsberg Studio, May channels the stark beauty of Late Expressionism and the crisp clarity of New Objectivity—elegant tracking shots, sophisticated lighting, and a sumptuous mise‑en‑scène that turns every frame into a work of art. As Frieda Grafe and Enno Patalas remark, the film turns the state’s power into a dazzling, fur‑lined spectacle, leaving the audience to wonder who truly holds seduction. Join us for a live musical accompaniment that brings the silent narrative to life, and discover why cinema of that era posed a serious challenge to bourgeois complacency. Details & tickets.