Last week, the 10th Annual Berlin VideoFest, under its new name
Transmedia, delivered a stunning program of innovative video and
interactive art. Stunning in the quality and breadth of the work, in
its presentation, and in the festival's artistic integrity – especially
compared to some of the American knock-offs from the past year. So much
transpired in this ten day festival that I hardly know where to begin.

The action took place at Berlin's "Podewil," an arts center near
Alexanderplatz – home of the landmark "space shish kabob" Television
tower. This year's festival was moved from its traditional date –
alongside the Berlin Film Festival during the Winter – in an attempt to
further distinguish it from the Film Festival and to run alongside the
new Interment World convention. An unfortunate result of the new date
was a somewhat smaller audience than the past. Nevertheless, on good
nights, Podewil's large screening room, bar, restaurant, and lobby were
jammed. The crowd was mostly in their thirties, chic, and predominantly
German, although there was certainly an international presence.

Each of the ten days was broken up into five parts. At 2 PM, a "Spot"
featured talks or workshops, ranging from Nanotechnology to CD-ROM
production. At 4 PM, "Focus" forums presented a daily topic, ranging
from student multi-media projects, to British television comedies, to
European on-line communities, to funding opportunities by German
television stations. Perhaps the highlight of the festival were the
daily "Primetime" video showings at 8:30, which featured a different
theme each night, ranging from computer graphics to "Berlin, Berlin…
The history, the construction site, the underground." Screenings, on
additional topics, continued at the 10:30 PM "Nightflight." At 12:30 AM,
previous screenings would be repeated at Hackesche H