As part of the exhibition Seeds. Reclaiming Roots, Sowing Futures, KunstHausWien, in cooperation with Stadtkino im Künstlerhaus, is showing the documentary essay film Wild Relatives (2018) by Jumana Manna, an artist featured in the exhibition.
The film follows the journey of seeds between the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Svalbard, Norway, and the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon. It tells of how seeds from the Syrian gene bank ICARDA were first stored in the Arctic seed vault after the escalation of the war and then were later returned to fields in Lebanon for propagation, where they are recultivated under the conditions of war, climate change, and global power relations. In this way, Wild Relatives makes visible the complex interconnections between ecological, political, and social processes and opens up poetic reflection on biodiversity, loss, and resilience.
Following the screening on 22 April 2026, there will be an artist talk with Jumana Manna, moderated by Alena Williams. The talk will be held in English.
Wed 22.04.2026, 20:00 with artist talk
Tue 22.09.2026, 18:00 film screening only
Jumana Manna is a Palestinian-American artist and filmmaker. In her work, she critically examines extractivist and neocolonial practices and explores tensions between modernity and tradition in the fields of architecture, agriculture, and law. She lives and works in Berlin and Jerusalem.
Alena Williams is a professor of theory and mediation of contemporary art in the Institute for Art Theory and Cultural Studies at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. She teaches courses in contemporary art history and theory; film and media studies; and the environmental humanities.
Wild Relatives, 68 min., original version (Norwegian, Arabic, and English) with English subtitles
Tickets online via Stadtkino im Künstlerhaus
Cost: With KunstHausWien ticket or Biennale Festivalpass (for the film screening on 22 April 2026) reduced admission €9
Venue: Stadtkino im Künstlerhaus, Akademiestraße 13, 1010 Vienna
