Berlinale Talent Campus
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Texts on Films

“We have a bequest of stories, tales from the old storytellers, some of whose names we know, but some not. The storytellers go back and back, to a clearing in the forest where a great fire burns, and the old shamans dance and sing, for our heritage of stories began in fire, magic, the spirit world. And that is where it is held, today.

Ask any modern storyteller, and they will say there is always a moment when they are touched with fire, with what we like to call inspiration and this goes back and back to the beginning of our race, fire, ice and the great winds that shaped us and our world.

The storyteller is deep inside everyone of us. The story-maker is always with us. Let us suppose our world is attacked by war, by the horrors that we all of us easily imagine. Let us suppose floods wash through our cities, the seas rise … but the storyteller will be there, for it is our imaginations which shape us, keep us, create us – for good and for ill. It is our stories, the storyteller, that will recreate us, when we are torn, hurt, even destroyed. It is the storyteller, the dream-maker, the myth-maker, that is our phoenix, what we are at our best, when we are our most creative.”

Doris Lessing, Nobel Lecture 2007

After having directed his infamous film FUNNY GAMES (1997) ten years ago, Austrian director Michael Haneke presents his new American version of the film to the world. But instead of creating a new interpretation, the director supposedly decided to recreate the original film almost shot by shot. The result is, that the current trailer looks like the film of 1997, only with different faces on the actors.

As far as the media discussion goes, this decision has been made because the original FUNNY GAMES never really reached American audiences, which the film actually was supposed to address. Haneke’s theme was – and still is – how cruelty and brutality are shown in today’s media works. He criticises by not showing it but eventually creating an atmosphere of physical and emotional pain within a nice neighbourhood house on the see.

If you did not catch FUNNY GAMES (1997) and have no way to see it in it’s original release, I strongly advise you to expose yourself to the new version FUNNY GAMES (2007) and start to get to know Haneke’s body of work. You might not like what you take from this film … but it’s what you maybe needed to start thinking about what media reality is all about.

I recently visited an interesting lecture on immigration and how our media deals with and communicates this issue. During the event a couple of historic film clips were shown (a little bit off-topic I believe, but nevertheless intriguing) dealing with war propaganda in the USA during WWII. I would like to share these Donald Duck cartoons with you.

During WWII Disney experienced a financial crisis and welcomed the government’s request to produce these films that were supposed to help facilitate the right spirit in the public during war time. A fascinating document in which it becomes painfully clear, that even our child dream world of animated characters does not go untouched by such dramatic events in reality.

»Der Fuehrer’s Face«

»Commando Duck«

»Ducktators«

I am a huge fan of Barack Obama.

He stands for engaging, interesting, smart and reflected ideas that the US could truly profit from in the future. And not only the American society, but also the whole global community. As a bonus, Obama knows how to communicate his issues, which is a handy thing for a president to be familiar with, don’t you think?

So hopefully it’s not coming down to the rather simple strategic question “Who do the others vote for most likely: a woman or a black guy?!”.

DER SPIEGEL published an extremely interesting article on wolves in Germany today. The author reflects on why it is so important that we get the wolves back into our forrests. If you are interested in this subject, keep on reading right here.

While the weather is finally getting chilly in Zurich I seem to be one of the only humans enjoying this in my immediate surrounding. At least I’m not completely by myself with this, because some of our zoo animals at the Zoo Zurich do like the cold as much as I do!

Starting today, whenever it’s colder than 10 degrees Celsius, our king penguins toddle off at 13.30 sharp for a zoo tour to visit their fellow zoo inhabitants. So if you are in Zurich during the winter, don’t miss this unique experience and visit the Zoo. Furthermore, for those who really dislike the arctic temperatures: our Masoala Rainforest offers a pretty warm and relaxing nature environment – no matter how cold it is on the outside.

During the last weeks I have been able to conclude two papers in cinema studies. Both texts can soon be downloaded in their German original. Unfortunately there will be no English translation, but you nevertheless might be interested in knowing what I have been thinking about and working on during the last months.

Masks of Humankind. About the identification with nonhuman characters in fantasy silhouette-, string puppet-, puppet- and stop-motion films.
In this work, I explain why we experience emotional responses to characters in film and how this translates to the viewing experience of nonhuman characters. Why do filmic representations open the space for emotional reactions? And why then do we react to a puppet or a silhouette? I conclude by explaining the importance of the face of the puppet for us to read emotions and to mirror them in the given context. The differences between sympathy and empathy are clarified and a final analysis tests the theoretical assumptions on concrete examples.

Perceptional Netting – Nonlinear storytelling and its implications on the construction of meaning on the basis of Jim Jarmuschs films Night on Earth and Mystery Train.
In this text I analyse two nonlinear films by Jarmusch and explain, how we experience and understand films of this exceptional structure. What difference does their construction make for our perception? The conclusion makes the point, that for the analysis of these kind of films it is essential to consider both the character arrangement within the nonlinear story as well as to look into the topics generated by the story and the structure.

One can discuss if JK Rowling’s new information on her character Dumbledore is in any way important to know, now that the series has been concluded. But it indeed explains a couple of loose strings in regard to his past and gives a structure to make sense of his behaviourisms in the story. It’s too bad the author did not incorporate this part of the character in the book; it could have been an intriguing and surprising story plot element. After all, it’s all about love and affection – always a powerful story element to reach readers.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has nominated the German short film DAS MAß DER DINGE in the category “Foreign Film” at the 33th Annual Student Academy Awards!!! I’ve worked on this film as 2nd Assistant Director and Script Supervisor.

The Student Academy Awards is a national competition conducted by the Academy and the Academy Foundation. Each year over 300 college and university film students from all over the United States compete for awards and cash grants, with films being judged in four categories: animation, documentary, narrative and alternative. An outstanding student filmmaker from outside the U.S. is honored each year as well. The presentation ceremony is a popular event that is annually attended by a capacity audience in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Through the Student Academy Awards, the Academy recognizes and encourages this country’s most promising new filmmakers. Past winners include Spike Lee, Gary Nadeau, Bob Saget, Trey Parker and Oscar winners John Lasseter and Robert Zemeckis.

Jamaica lies behind me since a couple of days and I’m slowly starting to reflect on the experience of the trip with STUDENTS CROSSING BORDERS. The work with the children of Riverton City was a lot of fun (as usual), but also made me again think about our very own lifestyle at home. I haven’t gotten to an conclusion on this one yet.

The work in Jamaica is a very intense, amazing, awesome, rewarding one. There is so much to learn from these people – in good and in bad ways. And there is (at least for me) the idea, that things in this world are not always made for headline outrage, but that the problems in this world must be seen in the complex context, which is their nature. And only when we have the will to truly dig into this complexity, we can find (oftentimes easy) ways to change the world around us.

The group I traveled with this year was filled with motivating young and older characters, that made the experience in Kingston, Jamaica one of the trips that inspired me most to keep on working for the poor. Thanks to all of you for this!

As I am sitting here in New Jersey right now, visiting friends from earlier trips to Jamaica, I find time to reflect and collect thoughts on this volunteer trip. I’m not a big group sharing person, so my conclusions will not be found on this page, but will eventually make their way out to be heard by friends and people who are interested in helping the poor … . We’ll see.

As for now: stay strong, folks.