With kung-fu, kebabs and the clashing of cultures, Kebab Connection kicked off Carleton’s German film series Sept. 21 in Paterson Hall.
Anno Saul’s Kebab Connection (2004) is the first of four films in the German film series organized by Carleton’s department of language and linguistic studies, along with the support of the German Embassy and the Goethe-Institut, which provided the films.
The films in the series share a common theme of multiculturalism, which relates to the diversity in Germany and Canada, said Ulrike Tallowitz, assistant director of modern languages.
“Here it was Turkish people in Hamburg, other films will be about Berlin,” she said. “But it’s always about how cultures treat each other, how they can live with each other in big cities especially.”
Organizers hope to bring German culture to Carleton’s students, the local German community, and other residents of Ottawa, whether or not they speak the language, Tallowitz said.
For Canadians accustomed to themes of multiculturalism, the German experience is strikingly alike.
“I think if it’s a young director, [Canadian and German films are] pretty similar,” Tallowitz said. “They both have problems with different cultures within one community, within one city, so I think the approach is pretty similar. To see . . . to observe how foreign cultures integrate and the difficulties they might have. And they often show it with humour like [Kebab Connection].”
Kebab Connection tells the story of Ibo, an aspiring Turkish-German director living in Hamburg. While he directs over-the-top, cinematic commercials for his uncle’s kebab restaurant, all Ibo really wants to do is create Germany’s first kung-fu movie. Unfortunately, his dream is quickly halted by the announcement that his German girlfriend, Titzi, is pregnant.
Meanwhile, a long-standing feud, à la Romeo and Juliet, is erupting between his uncle and the owner of the Greek restaurant across the road. Caught up in his uncle’s war and not really sure if he is ready to be a father, Ibo embarks on a hilarious quest of discovery and misadventure that even manages to pull at the heart strings.
For its first run at Carleton, the opening night of the series had a good turnout, receptive audience and proved it was a good idea for students to come, said fourth-year mathematics student Travis Hof.
“[The films] definitely promote German culture and the community, which I think is important. It’s a very good learning experience for the students at Carleton,” he said.
The remaining screenings of the series will be held at 7:30 p.m. in room 303 of Paterson Hall Oct. 12, Nov. 2, and Nov. 23. Admission is free and films are subtitled.