JOHNNY & ME: A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME WITH JOHN HEARTFIELD

In a hybrid form of animation and documentary, director Katrin Rothe takes us into the world of the innovative photo collage artist John Heartfield. Graphic designer Stefanie is in the middle of a creative crisis and meets animated Heartfield, who guides her through the turbulent times of the First World War, the rise of National Socialism and his own years in exile. Frustrated by the lack of moral in her industry, Stefanie conducts an imaginary dialogue with the pioneer of the political photo collage and learns about the challenges and suffering that Heartfield had to endure due to his political beliefs and his art, such as the persecution by the Nazis and the Central Party Control Commission of the SED (state party of the former GDR). With ingenious animations, Katrin Rothe explores Heartfield's innovative and succinct use of slogans and photo collage to convey powerful political messages and contrasts them with today.