jedi con 2008
Report by Lukasz Mlotkowski

Dusseldorf in Germany was the location for the fifth annual Jedi Con, organised by the Official German Star Wars Fan Club.  This multi-lingual event regularly attracts huge crowds, and this year was no exception, with such luminaries as Stephen Sansweet, Jeremy Bulloch, Daniel Logan, Orli Shoshan, Derek Lyons and Robert Watts attending. 

With 2008 being such an important year for Star Wars, this European convention held extra significance and a number of exclusives were wheeled out and revealed to the eager audience.  And, on February 10th 1978 Star Wars was released in Germany, so German fans gathered to celebrate their own 30th anniversary...

 

Lukasz Mlotkowski, webmaster Imperial City Online and S.W.O.R.A member
Lukasz - "Star Wars fans all over the world took part in the 5th edition of the Jedi-Con convention, which took place during the Easter holidays in Düsseldorf. Located within the luxurious Maritim Düsseldorf Hotel, Jedi-Con 2008 was organised to commemorate 30 years of Star Wars in Germany. The event featured many attractions spread throughout 10 spacious areas, offering everything from gaming consoles, Star Wars merchandise, to panels and autograph sessions with the convention's distinguished guests."

The crowds pour into the arena
Lukasz - "The Maritim Düsseldorf Hotel and conference centre, opened in December 2007, served well as the venue for this unique edition of Jedi-Con. Its exceptionally convenient location – approx. 100m from the airport – was no doubt one of the most important features for international fans. Its modern, spacious and well-lit interior allowed the visitors to familiarise with the convention area quite smoothly. Each separate sector was clearly marked, with the floor plan available in the con guide offering additional assistance. The main information area, dubbed Tatooine, housed the store with convention memorabilia, such as the famed Shadowtrooper 2-pack, Jedi-Con T-shirts, mugs etc. The large Corellia sector, offering various Star Wars merchandise and other SF items, was a definite point of interest to collectors. Among the popular areas were the fan activities sector (Alderaan) and autograph rooms (Geonosis, Hoth), as well as the Kamino room, which served as the R2 Builders headquarters."

A busy and active dealers area
Lukasz - "The main auditorium deserves separate attention. Dubbed Coruscant, this great hall – according to official info – measures 2.500 square metres, is 8 metres high, and can easily accommodate 2500 visitors. It features a grand stage and a large movie screen, which – together with the THX audio standard – made all presentations a truly unique experience."

The vast and spacious auditorium
Lukasz - "Among the guests of the Jedi-Con 2008 convention were long-time veterans (Steve Sansweet), but also first-time visitors to Germany (Daniel Logan, Orli Shoshan). A very significant portion of the programme was devoted to collecting – panels by Duncan Jenkins, Gus Lopez attracted a great number of fans, and the Star Wars auction conducted by Steve Sansweet was no doubt among the highlights of the convention programme. The convention also featured some great performances by the guests, including the acting workshops conducted by Jeremy Bulloch."

Lord Jeremy of Fett holds court
Lukasz - "What made Jedi-Con unique was the atmosphere created by fans. The convention rooms were flooded with colourful characters, representing different Star Wars eras, organisations and affiliations. Among some of the most unique creations were the technician outfit from Spaceballs and the complete Tessek outfit. The Alderaan sector featured numerous fan organisations and clubs, among them the 501st Legion German Garrison, The Saber Project and Krayt Riders." 

Bungle found he had taken a wrong turn
Lukasz - "Already an established event, Jedi-Con brought many positive experiences. However, it also had its dark side. One of the most serious flaws on behalf of the organisers was that nearly all important information concerning the purchase of tickets, as well as the attached promotional materials and the con guide itself, were all written in German. English-speaking visitors had to settle for three sheets of plain A4 paper bound with a stapler, which contained the (poorly) translated text of the con guide."

Orli Shoshan - yep, we're thinking what you're thinking...
Lukasz - "What was outrageous, however, was that the English language was virtually nonexistent also on the main stage. Most of the organisers and hosts were unable to speak a single, correct sentence in English! This led to utterly absurd situations – the information concerning Eric Walker’s absence was announced in German only. Similarly, during the costume contest a participant from Portugal was unable to communicate in English with the host and could not, therefore, describe her costume. Shockingly enough, the introductory Jedi-Con movie was also exclusively in German. English subtitles were not provided."

Sansweet and producer Robert Watts look on
Lukasz - "The controversial idea of dividing the auditorium into sectors pre-assigned to the participants was equally ill-conceived. After attending two of the first panels it became obvious that there was no personnel within the hall to control who sits where. Being given a ticket with sector J (way in the back) ascribed to it, one could take a seat in the front row with no difficulty whatsoever. The liberal approach of the organisers to the rules they laid out themselves, also concerned the ban on photographing the events in the main hall. The main stage was constantly lit by flashes from hundreds of cameras; again, there was no one there to enforce the ban. Assuming this wasn't a last minute decision, one cannot help but wonder, why was it necessary to include the information about the sectors and the photography ban in the first place, if there was no one to enforce the rules?"

"I thought I told you to turn off your mobile phones!"
Lukasz - "Sadly, the Jedi-Con Saturday Night Fever event, one of the highlights of the convention programme, was largely a disappointment. The rather unappealing and chaotic performances by Mr Horst (including his poor attempts at pantomime and dancing) left the audience somewhat disoriented and disgruntled. Ultimately, the day was saved by an absolutely smashing concert by the Sarlacc Survivors, who performed to hit songs, such as “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme” by ABBA, “T.N.T" by AC/DC and “Engel” by Rammstein. Guest star of the concert was Derek Lyons, whose performance on stage awarded him a healthy round of applause."

Not your usual Jedi training session
Lukasz - "Luckily, the rather unambitious approach of the organisers and hosts of Jedi-Con 2008 did not manage to ruin the unique atmosphere created by the guests and fans themselves, who proved beyond doubt that no matter what differences, our passion will help us communicate in the spirit of friendship and understanding. These international friendships will be the basis for future meetings, events and conventions, which in turn will allow the younger generations to live through this unique and magical atmosphere of Star Wars, which is only found in the company of fans from all around the world."

The gang all tgether
 

Jedi-Con seems to be becoming one of the largest European conventions of its kind. If you are planning to attend the 2009 6th annual event make sure you have costumes ready to maximize your fun. You could do something traditional and go as Leia and Luke in couples costumes or come up with something that shows your knowledge of the Trilogy by using Halloween masks to become Jar Jar Binks, Darth Maul or Sebulba. You might also want to consider looking for some sexy costumes to help you become Aayla Secura or Padme’ Amidala. Get creative and have some fun creating costumes based on your favorite Star Wars characters