1001 Inventions and the Library of Secrets

Summer in the City

March 1970 •German

German writer Uwe Johnson lived for several years in the 1960s on Manhattan’s Upper Westside where he got to know his neighborhood very well, observing the goings-on in the streets, cafeterias, and parks. In 1968 German Television agreed to co-produce a film for broadcast featuring interviews with various neighborhood characters.

Grand Central Market

January 1963 •English

This film portrays activity in Grand Central Market in Los Angeles, California. Highlighted are vendors that represent the melting pot that is America, selling their wares to people of all ages and all walks of life. The film was directed by William Hale. Notably, the film also showcases some early work of famous cinematographer, Haskell Wexler.

One Small Step

June 2018 •

​Luna is a vibrant young Chinese-American girl who dreams of becoming an astronaut. From the day she witnesses a rocket launching into space on TV, Luna is driven to reach for the stars. In the big city, Luna lives with her loving father Chu, who supports her with a humble shoe repair business he runs out of his garage. As Luna grows up, she enters college, facing adversity of all kinds in pursuit of her dreams.

Speeding, of Course

March 2025 •Finnish

70-year-old Timo makes the most of his short ride to work. Speeding up on a bicycle ends up in a ditch, but the adrenaline rush leaves a feeling of pleasure.

¡Que Colombianada!

April 2024 •Spanish

A Colombian family is forced to celebrate Thanksgiving, for the first time, after finding out that their eldest son has invited the man he likes to a holiday celebration at their house, creating tension among the family members.

Feola

April 1970 •Georgian

A man is put in charge of organizing a children's soccer team, but he doesn't know anything about the sport.

The Traffic Separating Device

April 2020 •Swedish

In order to rectify the poor bus accessibility at Slussen station in Stockholm, the city council, as per the municipal board’s recommendation, erects so-called ‘bus traps’ on the street.

Yoko Ono: This Is Not Here

May 1972 •English

On John's 31st birthday, Yoko held an art exhibit, "This Is Not Here", at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, N.Y.. The show was taped and aired on U.S. TV on May 11, 1972 as "John and Yoko in Syracuse, New York.

King Grandpa

August 2017 •German

Clemens lives and breathes his grandfather’s stories. When his grandfather passes away, it is difficult for him to understand that it is now his turn to continue telling his stories. Story-telling becomes a way for him to not only keep the stories but also the memory of his grandfather alive.

Land Without Bread

December 1933 •Spanish

An exploration —manipulated and staged— of life in Las Hurdes, in the province of Cáceres, in Extremadura, Spain, as it was in 1932. Insalubrity, misery and lack of opportunities provoke the emigration of young people and the solitude of those who remain in the desolation of one of the poorest and least developed Spanish regions at that time.

Life and Death in A Pond

January 1981 •English

An educational film about the life cycles of various types of pond life.

Sting

April 2007 •Norwegian

Alexander’s schooldays aren’t the happiest. He’s the smallest kid in his class and not the most popular. His life doesn’t become easier when a girl films him under the shower and shares the video with the whole class, earning him the nickname “Mini”.

24 Frames per Century

August 2013 •English

This short piece by Athina Rachel Tsangari, commissioned for the seventieth edition of the Venice Film Festival in 2013, draws on Jean-Luc Godard's "Contempt" and functions as a meditation on the state of cinema, depicting two film projectors contemplating the uncertainty of their future.

Clean and Neat with Harv and Marv

January 1975 •English

In this educational film about personal hygiene, Harv and Marv are animated characters in the real world. When Marv says he wants to become human, Harv shows him that real people have to bathe, wash their hands and teeth, and mind their appearance.

Pink

April 2021 •English

Elody is realizing that finding love is a gift not to be ignored. Being happy and living without fear is what matters and will make you the person you are destined to be.

The Captain

May 2022 •English

Of Maine’s more than 5000 commercial lobstermen only 4% are female. The Captain celebrates that fearless minority through the lens of Sadie Samuels. At 27 years old, she is the youngest and only female lobster boat captain in the Rockport, Maine harbor. Despite the long hours and manual labor of hauling traps, Samuels is in love — obsessed even — with what she calls the most beautiful, magical place on the planet. Her love for lobster fishing was imparted early in her childhood by her dad Matt, who has been her mentor and inspiration since she was a little girl in yellow fishing boots.

Wir sind im Bilde

January 1953 •German

Argini

January 1954 •Italian

A tribute not so much to the river that runs through the Eternal City, but to that part of Rome that very often remains invisible to the eyes of tourists-the suburbs, with their streets and rituals.

Release the Hound!

April 2015 •English

Documentary on the making of Hammer's adaptation of "The Hound of the Baskervilles".

Crushed

April 2024 •French

Through a powerful visual metaphor, Camille Vigny gives a first-person account of the domestic violence she suffered. The images and text interact with remarkable precision to convey the devastating impact of the cataclysm. It's a political gesture, brimming with courage, an icy cry that takes your breath away.