04/05/2022 - In his latest feature, Bernhard Sallmann invites the viewer on a stroll to take in the compelling and rugged sights on the outskirts of Berlin

“The back of beyond” is what Bernhard Sallmann calls the geographical setting of his latest feature, Berlin JWD. Leaving behind his usual panoply of rural landscapes, the Austrian-born, Berlin-based filmmaker explores the outskirts of his adopted home city. The feature has just had its world premiere in the Local Artists 2022 section of Crossing Europe.

The “JWD” bit of the title already gives away the basic theme. It stands for the Berlin slang phrase “janz weit draußen” – or “very far outside”. Inspired by the late 19^th-century recreational activities of a population living in a rapidly expanding city, the filmmaker, however, does not spend his weekend leisure time at the remote Wannsee or Schönholzer Heide. Instead, he delves into popular and non-places scattered around the outer ring, known in public-transport terms as “zone B”.

These locations, however, may not correspond with the scenery that people might have enjoyed over 100 years ago. The view that is presented to the audience is a testimony of a city that is ever-changing and growing, feeding into the adage that Berlin is never fully finished. It’s proof of urban living space creeping into the most remote corners of the city limits. These are non-places, more often than not, through which people mostly transit, but in which they never linger.

Sallmann presents an array of highways cutting through the otherwise untouched green, industries dominating the horizon, and a varied selection of other concrete temples quickly eating up the rural landscape. On the other hand, he also gets lost in peaceful parks, untouched riversides and popular hiking spots. A familiar constant is the needle of the television tower at Alexanderplatz, providing not only a geographical anchor, but also the necessary scale to establish distances.

As we take in the scenery through static, wide-lens aerial shots, people, boats, cyclists and cars move in and out of the picture, giving the whole set-up an air of stoic peace. The noise of cars accompanies most scenes, with recreational areas allowing us to enjoy at least some noise pollution-free footage of birds chirping and the wind causing leaves to rustle. Nothing ever seems to change.

Yet Sallmann shows a particular curiosity for some of his locations. This is where the director and his viewer might diverge in the reading of the material. While the movie encourages its audience to form a personal impression of the sights presented, one does have to be a history buff to understand the connections, such as the Third Reich’s link to areas such as Dichtervillen or the Karl Bonhoeffer psychiatric hospital. Or the fact that the shallow hills on which the youngsters skate and bike are made of old rubble from a bombarded city.

Other locations, such as the former Berlin Tegel Airport, now the “Urban Tech Republic”, a current arrival centre for Ukrainian refugees and a future tech innovation hub, speak a more universal language. Lost and abandoned places like the former IBM Germany office, whose grounds are slowly being reclaimed by nature, cast a mesmerising spell on us.

This sometimes incomprehensible fascination with certain locations can make the mere 74 minutes of running time seem drawn out or repetitive at times. Nonetheless, Sallmann again provides a meticulously observed meditation on his environment. It’s a testimony to the tristesse of urban expansion and a fleeting peek into a zone that, for most of us, is just another label on a city map.

Berlin JWD is a German production staged by Bernhard Sallmann himself.