There is a documentary film festival going on in Leipzig and two of my friends are also there, presenting their spectacular work, so I packed my stuff to go and see them.
DAY 1: I wake up early in the morning to catch a bus to Kehl and take the train. Two changes: in Offenburg and Frankfurt (yay! I have theoretically been to Frankfurt now :). The last part of the trip was exhaustingly long. But the last two minutes were the worst though...
But I'm finally in Leipzig - there is a "welcome committee" waiting for me at the station with bratwurst and Becherovka (some alcohol). The situation is very funny and I'm glad to meet my friends after a long while again. We hurry on to the cinema, where their film is being shown 'cause they have to present it and answer some questions, I'm supposed to be their interpreter (not that they need one or anything). On our way there they tell me that they have become infamous among the film-festival people and everyone is whispering: "Have you met the two Estonians already?"... I'm not surprised, considering their festival traditions... these guys are just crazy! We try to watch a movie together, but it doesn't pan out too well. A lot of distractions. We take my baggage to the hotel and after that go to a party where they give free food and drinks and there are loads of important documentary-people. My friends ask every girl they meet to show them her belly-button, but are almost always refused. Non of us really ever understood why...
DAY 2: Let's start the day by getting the eggs roll (that means having breakfast in the hotel). There is some stupid pointless panel forum taking place this morning where the guys have to participate as well to give more comments on their film and answer more questions... I am again forced to be the interpreter, which means I sit behind a table with a bunch of film-people in front of an audience and do nothing (there was no need for my translation skills). Pheew, that one went well. I bet they were all wondering what the hell is that red-headed girl doing there :) Tired of being in the centre of attention and interrogations and having to listen to a whole bunch of pointless crap, we grab a few wines and go to enjoy somewhat more primal culture: to the zoo! But seeing a flock of horny macaques finally does it for us. We head to eat an absurd Chinese duck and then back to the cinema again. A diligent German security guy refuses to let me in even though I am The Indispensable Interpreter of the Estonian delegation. After having a word with the bosses he finally comes to his senses and I'm in da house...
Let the closing ceremony of the festival begin: lots of speeches; giving out awards; one girl started crying on the stage; I'm sleepy; award to some handicapped guy; he plays cello and everyone are oh so touched; more awards for the disabled guy; I'm still feeling sleepy; they bring on the orchestra... what happened next I do not know because I was sleeping. Oh well... Afterwards there's a closing party with free food and drinks. Food is great, but give me more alcohol! I find myself suddenly dumped by my friends who are all consolidating relations with the important film-people. I decide to check out the cool-looking photographer. He is fun to hang out with for a while (I wish I could remember what we were talking about, it seemed an interesting conversation :S). When I get back together with my friends it comes out that they have not been wasting time in the meanwhile - they had noticed an award lying around without any invigilation or any owners what so ever. So they just shoved it into their bag. Unfortunately we still had to give away the stolen prize. Too bad. It would have been a good souvenir :)
DAY 3: Tired and hungover. We leave the hotel and Leipzig behind to see what's new in Berlin. Our hostess there is a girl we met at the festival, she was very nice. We wonder around the city that is - as they say - known to be the metropolis of underground culture and find nothing interesting. Eventually we do come across a kino-bar situated in an old squat-looking house where you can see experimental videos that are projected on a huge white wall across the yard by just looking out of the window. Not a bad idea. I also wanted/planned to meet my friend Joe whom I met this summer, but after long wondering on town, everyone is way too tired to go anywhere but to sleep. Sorry Joe!
DAY 4: I'm more tired than ever and now I must leave. Goodbyes. Long trainride. Finally back in rainy Strasbourg. I kind of wish I would have gone back to Tallinn instead with my friends. Seeing people I know makes me feel a bit homesick. But as Johnny Rotten once said: whatcha gonna do about it...
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