Reviewed by Elliot V. Kotek
(March 2009)

Directed by: Ethan H. Minsker
Starring: Un Lee, Ethan H. Minsker, Ted Riederer, Arturo Vega

In This is Berlin Not New York, the self-appointed "Antagonist Art Movement" takes on the Berlin art scene in an exploration of the German capital's recent ascendance to the king of the creative heap. There's been much said in the art world of late about the positioning of Berlin at the top of the fine-art food chain, a posturing made only more truthful by the current, complicated state of U.S. commerce.

The Antagonist Art Movement - a collection of "photographers, painters, writers and ne'er-do-wells" living in New York - conducts what is, in essence, a visual travel diary of the group's trip from to Berlin, with a hand-held camera and a lack of proper sound equipment. What the team lacks in technical skills, they try to make up in irregular usage of subtitles (even for English speakers) and with their presentation of the "Art" of about fifty people within a single, evolving gallery space.

While many moments in the film could use trimming, including completely worthless video minutes sucked into the picking up of a friend at an airport, and still other minutes could be better dedicated to contemplating the work itself rather than the technicalities of presenting and hanging their show, there are moments of interest that include their meeting up with German art groups such as "World Vacation," a group that occupies various abandoned buildings in scenes reminiscent of the times that gave birth to The Clash.

The animated artwork is interesting, but The Clash these guys are not. They're not even really filmmakers. There's no denying the energy currently consuming the German art scene (especially in the areas that were formerly East Germany) that is almost captured in this doc. But, then again, this is Berlin not New York, so check back in, in 5 to 10. -MPM

Photo courtesy of Emphasis Entertainment.