The Power of Renovation: O. Grawert, S. Bärenbold, L. Fischötter, A. Kolar, G. Pedrini, J. Schmidt / Switzerland / 2024 / 38 min. / English, German / Czech subtitles

My House is Dying: Jannes Schmidt / Germany / 2026 / 32 min. / German / English subtitles

What is lost in demolition?
Every minute, Europe loses one building. When a building is demolished, not only are the construction materials and the energy invested in its construction wasted, but stories, memories, and affordable housing are also lost. The films Power to Renovation and My House is Dying explore whether demolition is always a necessary part of urban development and present approaches based on the renovation, adaptation, and repurposing of existing buildings. While Power to Renovation explores the broader context of building demolition and the HouseEurope! initiative, which seeks systemic support for renovations, My House is Dying focuses on the specific fate of a house built in 1948 that is slated for demolition despite the fact that people still live there. Together, the filmmakers raise the question of what truly lies behind these demolitions and what value we assign to existing buildings in an era of climate crisis and unaffordable housing.

The films will be followed by a discussion with Josiane Schmidt from the HouseEurope! initiative and Jannes Schmidt, director of My House is Dying.