The city of Utopia is on the verge of collapse: inflation impoverishes a large part of the population, they erupt demonstrations. At the initiative of the anti-Semitic Great Germans, the parliament decides to expel the Jews who are to blame for the crisis. Bernart, a member of the National Council, also stands out as an extremely fanatical enemy of the Jews. One of his victims is the young painter Leo, who is engaged to the daughter of the leader of the liberal party, Lotte. It soon turns out that the expulsion of the Jews further accelerates the city's decline, resulting in unemployment and boycotts abroad. With a new vote, the coercive measure of prosecution should be changed. Leo secretly returns to Utopia and tricks the anti-Semitic Bernart into preventing a decisive vote against the decree allowing Jews to return. Bernart, tormented by Zionist delusions, ends up in an insane asylum." (source: Reclam's Encyclopedia of German Film)
In 2024, the film "The City Without Jews" celebrates its 100th anniversary. The lost film material was found at a flea market in Paris in 2016, and the film was subsequently restored by the Austrian Film Archive. Until then, only a shorter version was on display."
The screening of the silent film The City Without Jews from 1924 will be accompanied live by Gerhard Gruber, an Austrian pianist and composer who is an undisputed authority in this field in Austria. He travels all over the world as a silent film accompanist and has accompanied more than 650 different films live.
The program is supported by the Austrian Cultural Forum Ljubljana
