The Bauhaus Dessau is organizing the 1rst International videofestival "OSTranenie '93: Shattered Myths - New Realities" from november 4th to november 7th 1993.

The festival will be focussing especially upon productions (videos, video installations, performances) from Eastern Europe, e.g. from the former "East bloc". The debate concerning the rapidely changing face of Eastern Europe and its subsequent integration into the world of market economics is being led predominantly by the West. In order to advance this discussion into a more productive direction, the Bauhaus Dessau has as one of its fundamental aims the task of bringing the experience of East European producers into greater focus.

The aim of this project is the advancement of communication between east-, central- and westeuropean videoartists. Another important goal of this festival is to advance the understanding for the cultural and social processes actually taking place in the countries of Eastern- and Central Europe. During the video festival an active exchange of experiences will take place concerning the methods and techniques of representation of socio-cultural processes in the medium video.

Video producers, video artists and video documentarists from the former "East bloc" (ex-Soviet Union, Poland, Czech Republik, Slovak Republik, Hungary, ex-Jugoslavia, Bulgaria, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the five new german 'Länder') will take an active part in the events (discussions, talks, lectures) organized during the four days of the festival, as well as productions and producers from other countries, dealing with the actual upheavals and changes occurring in Eastern and Central Europe.

The debate concerning the rapidly changing face of Eastern Europe and its subsequent integration into the world of market economics is being led predominantly by the West. Consequently television and video are the most omnipotent forms of information dessemination and cultural manipulation. These media help to define and establish a basis upon which to create a socially and politically unified environment for the future. The Bauhaus Dessau has as one of its fundamental aims the task of bringing the experience of East European producers into greater focus.

Invited are artists and students who have produced their works in the former East Block, including the former GDR. A limited number of relevant productions from the former West Block will also be considered. To be accepted are video productions (Documentary, Fiction, Experimental, Animation, Advertisement, Propaganda) which relay the experience (before and after) of the revolutionary changes currently taking place in Eastern Europe. During the video festival the Bauhaus Dessau will transform itself into a complete artwork so that outside of the screenings, video installations and performances will be possible in various locations throughout the building (stage, foyers, stairways, Cafe etc.).

In addition to the festival a trilingual (English, German, Russian) catalogue will be published.