The Goethe-Institut Washington invites to an interdisciplinary discussion about and a film screening of the German-Chilean television series Dignity. The screening takes place as part of the conference “Latin America's Contested Pasts in Telenovelas and TV Series. A Cross-Sector Dialogue between Academia, Entertainment and Society”, held in Washington D.C. between September 07-08 and organized by the German Historical Instituteand GUMELAB.

Telenovelas and television series focusing on contemporary Latin American history influence the collective memory and political values beyond the borders of the Americas. One prominent case is Colonia Dignidad, a German-Chilean cult founded in Chile in 1961, sadly known for human rights violations such as child abuse, as well as the internment and torture of dissidents during Chile's military dictatorship during the 1970s to the 1990s. The way in which Colonia Dignidad is portrayed in telenovelas, television series, and other forms of media can affect the general public's memory on a variety of ways. In the event, producers and academics will discuss the German-Chilean production Dignity (Joyn 2019 - Mega, 2020). María Elena Wood (idea and executive producer, Wood Producciones, Chile), Andreas Gutzeit (head writer and executive producer, Story House Productions, Germany) and Stefan Rinke (Free University of Berlin, GUMELAB) will discuss the relation between fiction and reality. Through which means this production represents Colonia Dignidad and how can it influence the audience's perception? Which role does fiction play in memory processes? Why do TV series like Dignity matter for establishing a shared narrative of Colonia Dignidad in Chile, Germany, and beyond? The event will be moderated by Holle Meding (Freie Universität Berlin, GUMELAB).

The event is free and open to the public. Click here to register.

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