25th VIPER
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL FOR FILM VIDEO AND NEW MEDIA

VIPER is forum for innovation and creativity - as one the leading internationally renowned festivals dedicated to supporting and mediating qualitatively outstanding and innovative works and projects VIPER presents for five days recent productions from all over the world: interactive fillms and installations, video essays, net art projects, VJ-events and performances.


25TH VIPER | GRAND OPENING
Thursday, 16 March 2006 | Kunsthalle Basel | 8:00 P.M.


Traditionally the major focus is on the moving image. Thereby VIPER's unique profile includes works, which are positioned in the field of fine arts as well as film works. On the occasion of the festival the parallel leads of both genres indicates the numerous references and makes evident that cinema's visual heritage and mass media's impulses of TV, video and Internet that have permanently grown in public awareness are creating an explosive reservoir of visual innovation. From one of the most vivid fields of activity in contemporary art, the authors present highly sovereign positions: With an observant view on society's phenomena, between documentary and imaginative staging, they develop authentic image-worlds and narratives. VIPER mediates the most exciting positions and celebrates its 25th anniversary with the presentation of more than 200 works and projects from over 26 countries.

VIPER presents with the 25TH VIPER | SCREENINGS a counter position to the filmic productions ŕ la Hollywood. In their playful use of filmic codes and new narrations the authors lay a manifold foundation for tomorrow's cinema: Betulius and Merz, Marika Chernikova, Erika Fraenkel, Harald Holba, Oliver Hockenhull, Pascal Marquilly, Els Opsomer, Racké and Muskens, Hito Steyerl, Peter Tscherkassky, Laura Waddington, Susanne Winterling, Marcia Vaitsman et.al.
Programmes: Passage Cinema, New Narratives, Challenging Tradition, Con/Frontal Views


The 25TH VIPER | EXHIBITION with its accompanying authors' symposia present amongst others the following Swiss and international positions: BIT (Bureau of Inverse Technology), Elli Ga, Alexander Hahn, Adad Hannah, Sven König, Ine Lamers, Cecilia Lundquist, Galina Myznikova/Sergey Provorov, Astrid Nippoldt, Nicolas Party, Andrea Polli, Annelies Strba, van der Haak/ Rem Koolhaas /Silke Wawro. On the occasion of its 25th anniversary VIPER puts with SWISS MEDIA ART | NO PEAK NO VIEW an additional special focus on Switzerland: today internationally renowned authors will be personally present in Basel and show and discuss their work with the audience: Emmanuelle Antille, Hubbard and Birchler, Zilla Leutenegger, Yves Netzhammer, Marco Poloni, Studer van den Berg et.al.


The 25TH VIPER | FORUM NEXT GENERATION is a pulsating platform for young practitioners and media pioneers - here the advanced scene around wireless art, design&interaction, social software and gaming culture will present itself and are theory and practise standing under the sign of exploring new knowledge and activity zones.


The VIPER | JAPANESE CONNECTION launches a display for its Japanese partners - in their inimitable attitude towards adapting and transforming foreign influences with elements of tradition, an entirely own culture of independent artistic filming has been established.
Presented will be works by: Yusuke Sasaki, Kei Oyama, Isamu Hirabayashi, Mika Seike and others


25TH VIPER | ANNIVERSARY PARTY

Saturday, 18 March 2006 | Gare du Nord | 9:00 P.M


25TH VIPER | INTERNATIONAL & SWISS AWARDS

Sunday, 19 March 2006 | Kunsthalle Basel | 5:00 P.M.


25TH VIPER | MAIN LOCATION

Kunsthalle Basel, Steinenberg 7 | CH-4051 Basel


25TH VIPER | GUIDED TOURS
Meeting point: Kunsthalle Basel, daily at 11.00 A.M.

By prior appointment: guided@viper.ch

25TH VIPER | LOCATIONS

Kunsthalle Basel, Stadtkino Basel, Museum für Gegenwartskunst Basel, [plug.in], Gare du Nord


The detailed programme as well as practical information will be published soon.