Time for a small anniversary and drawing a balance. The video culture is young, dating back to the works of Nam June Paik in 1963. Contrary to film, video has never had (and probably never will have) an aura. Contrary to television, it is not a mass medium. Just the same, the importance of video is undeniable. It has its claim of being an independent production apparatus and, for the first time, has opened up democratic access to an audiovisual medium – two factors that form the basis of a playground in the word’s best sense for creative visual works. Video has almost completely overshadowed the function of the short and the experimental film, while giving creative impulses to other media as well. Still, it has kept its independence.

With the VideoFest, the MedienOperative has always claimed to reflect the development of international video culture and to represent a rich variety of genres – productions, sculptures, or selections from fields like interactive media and computer animation – that break down old boundaries.

This seems to work well, judging from the growing number of visitors, accredited guests, media coverage, and the continuous increase in tape entries. Our mailing list for entry forms includes 60 countries from every continent by now.

The VideoFest has become an international meeting-point for videomakers, where a manifold selection can be seen and where meetings, conferences, and a commercial video market for independents take place. It happens more often now that representatives of the VideoFest are invited abroad to show a selection of the festival’s program that best reflects the state of video culture. And the VideoFest is participating with various European initiatives to support video culture. It also helps initiatives in Berlin to distribute this young medium.

Within just five years, the VideoFest has become an institution. Only one year ago, its collapse seemed imminent when the MedienOperative, its festival team's willingness and their capacity to continue, was jeopardised by an insufficient budget. The Senator for Cultural Affairs, Roloff-Momin, acknowledged the festival’s importance for Berlin and granted the VideoFest a substantial support. Yet the funds raised, including those from other institutions and sponsors, are still insufficient given the needs of a metropolis organising a festival for the electronic media. Just the same, we finally have the means to start working.

The edition 92 emphasises the USA and Eastern Europe, France is emerging more and more as a “video country,” and so it makes sense to invite, for the first time, a French artist-in-residence: Jean-Louis Le Tacon, who has produced a multi-faceted body of work. More than in previous years, renowned videomakers will show their works in person: Jeanne C. Finley (USA), Alexander Hahn (CH/USA), Joan Jonas (USA), Fabrizio Plessi (Italy), Shelly Silver (USA) – and many more from Europe and Latin America.

The edition 92 is probably far more varied than all previous editions: unwieldy, intelligent, uncomfortable, entertaining – distinguished by a creative use of the electronic medium. This comes as a bit of a surprise since 1991 was certainly not a glorious year for international video culture. Relatively few tapes were produced, and the quality was often no more than average. This year’s program is, nevertheless, of high quality thanks to the rapidly established reputation of the VideoFest and to developing working contacts in all parts of the world.

Thanks to all who support the VideoFest. To all guests and visitors, we wish twelve intense days.

Hartmut Horst, Micky Kwella MedienOperative / VideoFest

Micky Kwella Artistic Direction, Jaimi Stüber Organization, Micky Kwella, Knut Gerwers Program, Jean-Louis Le Tacon Artist in Residence, Burghard Drachsel Support, Rudolf Frieling Installations and Press, Hartmut Horst, Maria Pecha Business Management, Ulrike Barnusch, Jan Jaksiewiecz, Eva Resch Office Management

Main funders: Senatsverwaltung für kulturelle Angelegenheiten, Berlin

Supporters: Alan McCluskey, Info Service, Genf; Auswärtiges Amt; Centro Videoarte Ferrara; Deutsches Hygiene-Museum, Martin Roth; Electronic Arts Intermix, New York; European Media Art Festival, Heiko Daxl; Französische Botschaft; GATE; Heure Exquise, Mons en Baroeul; internationales forum des jungen films; Italienische Botschaft, Bonn; JVC Professional Production; The Kitchen, New York; Kulturamt der Stadt Ferrara; Kunstfonds e.V., Bonn; London Video Access, Michael Maziere; Pandasoft; Philip Morris Light American Cigarettes; PIK; Pioneer, The Art of Entertainment; VIDEO: Sehen was spass macht!; Video Data Bank, Chicago, Mindy Faber; VideoVox; Wegert-AV; Werner Audio; zitty