Weimar Culture — Sin City, Berlin is a beautiful documentary portrait that shows how Berlin became the intellectual and creative centre of Europe, despite the tremendous sociopolitical hardships of the time.
Weimar Culture bred groundbreaking artists that did pioneering work in the modern movements of literature, theatre and the arts, and also in the fields of psychoanalysis, sociology and science.
Berlin was an open-minded metropolis with a thriving art and cultural scene throughout the Weimar Republic. Be it the silent films of Fritz Lang, the new expressionism in painting and poetry, the political theatre of Berthold Brecht, or the glamour of the entertainment industry, personified by Marlene Dietrich — for example — cultural life in the German Capital was vibrant and drew intellectuals from all over the world.
You could find almost anything there, and maybe everything. Provocative cabaret shows, excessive drug use, nights of hedonistic partying, open and same-sex relationships all took centre stage in Berlin. There were many strong women in the movement, with performers such as Marlene Dietrich and Anita Berber becoming icons of the time in their lifestyle, art and relationships.
It was also the decade of Brecht, the Isherwoods and the Bauhaus movement in art and design. After the pre-war dictatorship and the horrors of World War I, the german intellectual elite longed for the liberalism and sexual freedom of the Weimar Culture.
