Maja Linde loves cinema. And now, the Bad Berleburg native can share her passion with the readers of this newspaper as a film tip contributor. Twice a month, the 24-year-old writes the Wittgenstein cinema tip. She reviews current blockbusters and, with particular enthusiasm, also recommends artistically valuable films from a wide range of genres.
Linde, who grew up in Weidenhausen, developed her love for cinema at an early age: “I was eleven years old and really wanted to see Twilight. But it was rated for ages twelve and up. My mother called the cinema and asked if it would be okay. And then I was allowed to watch the entire Twilight trilogy,” she recalls as one of her first major cinema experiences. After graduating from Gymnasium Schloss Wittgenstein, she initially completed an apprenticeship as an industrial clerk at Ejot, where she still works part-time. At the same time, the 24-year-old is now studying “Intercultural Communication and Business” at Justus Liebig University in Giessen. During a semester abroad in Ireland, focusing on media studies, she explored Irish and international cinema in depth, combining her academic work with her passion for film.
This has also changed the way she watches films: “I actually try to find something to criticize, something that might have been done wrong. But I also want to appreciate what is beautiful.”
For the Wittgenstein cinema tip, the Bad Berleburg native watches new films in coordination with cinema operator Kai Winterhoff, attending regular screenings at the Capitol in Bad Berleburg or the Residenz Cinema in Bad Laasphe. It is important that the film will still be shown long enough in the local cinemas. In addition to genre and storyline, she also considers which audience a film is best suited for. While blockbusters are naturally widely discussed, she also enjoys watching arthouse films: “There’s simply much more to say about artistic films.” To continuously reflect on her perspective, she actively seeks feedback: “A second opinion from friends is important to me.”
Linde’s conclusion is clear: “We should all go to the cinema more often! I want to inspire people in the Siegen-Wittgenstein region through personal film recommendations and reviews and encourage them to rediscover cinema as a rewarding cultural experience.”
In conversation with the editorial team, Maja Linde also revealed her favorite film – and it’s a bit spooky: “What We Do in the Shadows” (2014), a horror comedy about a shared apartment of male vampires of different ages. But don’t worry, the film is rated 12 and up. And in a way, it comes full circle with the vampires from the Twilight films.
“We should all go to the cinema more often! I want to inspire people in the Siegen-Wittgenstein region through personal film recommendations and reviews and encourage them to rediscover cinema as a rewarding cultural experience.”
Maja Linde,
our local film expert
Newspaper article from the Westfalenpost, March 5, 2024, by Lars-Peter Dickel.