PIANOMANIA

Austria/Germany, 2009
93 minutes
directed by: Lilian Franck and Robert Cibis

The quest for a perfect sound from the unique perspective of a man who dives into the interior of a piano, trying to activate up to the perfection its fantastic potentials. Every piano has its particularity, every piece of music its colour and tone, and every pianist its temperament and vision. The encounter of a top-level piano-tuner Stefan Knüpfer and famous pianists like Alfred Brendel, Lang Lang and Pierre-Laurent Aimard. To find the right instrument with the right qualities, which will suit the conception of the virtuoso, and to tune it up to the perfection this becomes the mission, which requires nerves of iron, endless patience and top-level skill to transform words into sound. The exceptional photography and the stunning quality of the sound (because the music was recorded on 90 channels), make both your ears and eyes wide open, and let yourself to pleasure. Film about passion, perfection and a little bit of madness.

SELECTOR'S WORD: ./prethodni_festivali/pages/2010. learning by watching and listening. I really symphatize with this multitasked piano magician, who has to move around and adjust huge pianos and their "stomachs" to satisfy the ambitions of a number of artists, one more blasé than the other. It's magnificent to follow!

       http://www.pianomania.co.uk/

Lilian Franck

Film education gained at Film Academy in Baden-Würtemberg. After that, studied in Paris at Grande Ecole de Fresnoy Studio national des arts contemporains. She has been working with Robert Cibis for ten years as director and producer.

Robert Cibis

Studied film in Paris and in Rome. Master's degree gained at Sorbonne Nouvelle in 1997. Attended masterclesses at German-French Film Academy Fémis in Paris and at Film Academy in Baden-Würtemberg, Germany. Works as director and producer.

Selected collective filmography

HUMAN CAPITAL THE EMPLOYMENT TRADE (Kapital: Mensch - Das Geschäft mit der Arbeit), 2004
JESUS LOVES YOU (Jesus liebt Dich), 2008
PIANOMANIA, 2009

KILL THE REFEREE
LES ARBITRES

Belgium, 2009
77 minutes
directed by: Yves Hinant, Eric Cardot and Delphine Lehericey

The story about people no one knows, but everyone loves to hate. Documentarists who break out the standard media image of a top-level world football and take us to the areas accessible only to the referees. Filmed exclusively in cooperation with UEFA during the European Championship 2008, this film takes us into the core of communication between the referees during big and important matches, which is normally invisible for the audience. English title of the film Kill the Referee reveals a constant dimension of threat and fear that are present in the job of the referees. Football drama is shown through all the circumstances that go with the controversial decisions of the referees. The study of a contemporary football, which is not only one of the biggest planetary entertainments, but also the eligible space for the promotion of political leaders. Exciting shots from the unseen points of views of referees and players! Filmed simultaneously in the several states of Europe, this is one of the most complicated production ventures in contemporary documentary filmmaking.

SELECTORS WORD: For a football freak this is a gift. An insight to the world of those black men on the pitch we love to hate. Here the roles are turned around it is unbelievable what the referees have to cope with from players and spectators!

Yves Hinant

Born a Liege, Belgium in 1968. Started as a sport journalist for RTBF. Soon he joined one of the most important European TV producers, Jean Libon. Worked with him on the famous investigative documentary series ?Strip Tease? and one of those films was nominated for Prix Europe.

Eric Cardot

After five years of marketing at Gaumont/Buena Vista in Paris, worked in television and advertising. Directed various TV documentaries. Colaborated on series ?Strip Tease?.

Delphine Lehericey

Actress and film director. Directed various documentaries and one feature film.

Selected collective filmography

KILL THE REFEREE (Les arbitres), 2009

THE LIVING ROOM OF THE NATION
KANSAKUNNAN OLOHUONE

Finland, 2009
74 minutes
directed by: Jukka Kärkkäinen

A documentary in a form of a poetic view into six Finnish livingrooms. It is a story of changes, loneliness, responsibilities and the unavoidable passing of time. The main characters are ordinary people in different phases of life. Each of them is searching for something important: human closeness, understanding and acceptance. The scale of events varies, but even the smallest one in the family circle positions the characters into dramatic situations. All these individual everyday experiences converge into a sensitive and at moments even a surreal story of human life. "Forget Nokia and innovative economy! The jury hereby demands that this film must from now on be used as the main tool for building the Brand of Finland. (Annunciation of the Jury of the Finish competition at Tampere Film Festival 2009) The film is currently showing in the cinemas throughout Finland.

SELECTOR'S WORD: What a brilliant idea to portray a country through characters to be found in their natural surroundings, at home. You get to love that young man, who is to become a father and is obviously not quite ready for that responsibility. Idea brilliant, film the same!

       http://www.thelivingroomofthenation.com/

Jukka Kärkkäinen

Born in Kerava, Finland in 1972. Audio-visual education through various specialised courses and workshops, starting with video and sound production at Central Polytechnic, Kokkola, Finland in 1997 and audiovisual media at Voionmaa Institute of Meddia 1988/99, followed by workshops in Helsinki, on Borholm and in Wienna.

Selected filmography

ZETOR BORN FREE (Zetor vappaana syntynyt), 2004
THE SMOKING ROOM (Tupakkahuone), 2006
TOMORROW WAS YESTERDAY (Matkalla Vanhuuteen), 2008
THE LIVING ROOM OF THE NATION (Kansakunnan olohoune), 2009

THE ARRIVALS
LES ARRIVANTS

France, 2009
111 minutes
directed by: Claudine Bories and Patrice Chagnard

They come every day from Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Congo, Eritrea. The whole families come, with or without luggage, with or without passports; they arrive with charter flights, by buses, by ships. Among them there are pregnant women, young couples, old people. They arrive both with fear and hope. The waves of nations that seem as a menace to flood the unusual new Babylon, converge in the middle of Paris, in the organisation that helps them to orientate and survive. And right there, at the gates of heaven, for many of them, the two angels stand Caroline and Colette. With the two of them the story of the clash of cultures, customs and needs starts. This brings many of them to tears and despair, and some others to bliss and happiness. But this is also the story of angels who do not have anyone to complain to. Absurd, dramatic, funny, tragic, encouraging. The exciting study from the exceptional French documentary filmmakers who reveal with a big understanding for the delicate nuances the undreamt sights of contemporary Europe.

SELECTOR'S WORD: It could be anywhere in Europe human beings who come to a new country in order to get a better life! The social workers, who meet them and have conversations with them, do what they can according to the rules that have been set up. It is an emotional drama with comical moments that masterly conveys the language and cultural misunderstandings through close-up based cinematography.

       http://www.film-documentaire.fr/Arrivants.html

Claudine Bories

Began her career in theatre. Took part in the movement of the decentralisation of theatre in France. In 1968, she directed her first documentary. Between 1990 and 2002, she helped run a creative centre dedicated to documentary cinema in Seine Saint Denis, and started the Documentary Cinema Meetings. She was a president of ADDOC, a group that brings together French documentarists.

Selected filmography

JULIETTE FROM THE MEN'S SIDE (Juliette du côté des hommes), 1981
IMAGINARY PORTRAIT OF GABRIEL BORIJES (Portrait imaginaire de Gabriel Bories), 1984
SIR AGAINST MADAM (Monsieur contre Madame), 1999
WOMEN OF TWELVE FRONTIERS (Les femmes des douze frontieres), 2003
AND OUR DREAMS (Et nos reves), 2007
THE ARRIVALS (Les arrivants), 2009

Patrice Chagnard

At the age of 17, he ran the Grenoble Film Club, the biggest club in France in terms of members. Studied Philosophy at the Sorbonne. Worked as an editor in chief at the magazines about television and directed documentaries for TV. In 1969, he became a hippie and travelled in Afghanistan, Pakistian and India. Became interested in the plights of the farmers in Brazil, Africa and Bangladesh. Since 1977, hes dedicated himself to directing documentaries. He was president at Addoc, a group that brings together French documentarists.

Selected filmography

A FEW THINGS ABOUT THE TREE, ABOUT THE RIVER AND ABOUT THE CRY OF PEOPLE
(Quelque chose de lArbre, du Fleuve et du Cri du Peuple), 1980
SWAMI-JI, AN INNER VOYAGE (Swami-ji, un voyage intérieur), 1983
CONVOY (Le Convoi), 1995
IMPRESSION, MUSEUM OF ALGIERS (Impression, Musée dAlger), 2003
IN THE RED TRUCK (Dans un camion rouge), 2005
AND OUR DREAMS (Et nos reves), 2007
THE ARRIVALS (Les arrivants), 2009

WAY OF NATURE
NATURENS GANG

Sweeden, 2008
108 minutes
directed by: Nina Hedenius

Exquisite documentary mastership which merge man, animals and plants into a world of cosmic harmony and tranquility. The story that unfolds in front of us like a canvas, painted with delicate gestures up to the finest details. The perfect symbiosis of all beings in which a man is not privileged in any way. The life of a special Swedish farm through the four seasons, filled with deep respect towards the nature. The silence and rhythm of everyday activities respire with this same respect. We have departed ourselves from animals and nature, Nina Hedenius says. I wanted to make an epic picture of the things that are expiring. Way of Nature is the love ode to animals and nature. The sights and sounds of nature without a single spoken word. The film of a stunning beauty and dignity.

SELECTOR'S WORD: You cant negociate with Nature, it was said at the Climate summit in Copenhagen. Having watched this wonderful film about Nature and about being Natural, you ask yourself and why should you It is not very far from us, this location, and yet it is far from urban stressful modern life.

Nina Hedenius

Born as Nina Gudrun Johana Hedenius in the small town of Solna near Stockholm. Studied painting with an ambition to become a painter. Left Stockholm at the age of 25 and moved to the Swedish forest countryside, where she still lives. Succesful photography exhibition led to the invitation from Sweddish Television for making the first documentary film in 1965. She stops painting and becomes a filmmaker. Photographer, director, director of photography, editor and independent producer. Nina Hedenius is one of the most important Swedish documentarists and her films are at the very top of European documentary film.

Selected filmography

LIKE THE WIND MY LONGING (Likt vinden far min längtan), 1989
REFLECTIONS IN MY EYE (Det speglar i mitt öga), 1992
THE OLD MAN IN THE COTTAGE (Gubben i stugan), 1995
SWEDISH STORIES (Fran Sverige i tiden), 1999
THE ART OF CLEANING (Konsten att städa), 2002
WAY OF NATURE (Naturens gang), 2008

BELOW SEA LEVEL

Italy/USA, 2008
115 minutes
directed by: Gianfranco Rosi

In the middle of Californian desert, forty metres below the sea level, on the site of a deserted military base and 250 kilometres northeast fom Los Angeles - a group of people is living outside the highly developed world, without electricity, without running water, without the police, without the governement. The surreal scenery resembles the Mad Max films, abandoned buses and cars are inhabited by colorful characters rebels, losers, prophets, poets, rockers. Each of them lives on his own idea and his own rules. Although living in extreme conditions, they do what other people do they sew, read, make love and dream their dreams. Everything looks apocalytpic, but they transmit the feeling of warmth and home. Gianfranco Rosi followed the lives of some of these people during the period of four years, succeeding to establish extremely direct, deep and discrete relationship. Images of dawn in the desert colour the atmosphere of the fim with excitement and warmth. The winner of the programme 'Horizons' at the Venice film festival 2008 and the best Italian documentary that year! Postapocalyptic image of America without television and computers.

SELECTOR'S WORD: This is the ultimate proof of how important it is to stay with your characters for a long time (in this case more than a few years) to gain trust and credibility. And then it is a great plus that Rosi is an excellent filmmaker. Time and craftsmanship and vision.

Gianfranco Rosi

Born in Asmara, Eritrea. Lived in Istanbul, New York, Rome and Los Angeles. Attended Univerity in Italy and graduated at New York University Film School. Works as director, director of photography and as creative dubbing supervisor for Universal, Fox, Paramaunt and Dreamworks. Guest lecturer at New York University Film School.

Selected filmography

BELOW SEA LEVEL, 2008
EL SICARIO - in progess

MY LIFE WITH CARLOS
MI VIDA CON CARLOS

Spain/Germany/Chile, 2009
83 minutes
directed by: German Berger-Hertz

The virtuoso plunge into the long-hidden tragedy of a broken family that carries in itself the agitations of Latin America. The journey of a son who is in search of the memory of his murdered father. The emotional history of a country that refuses to forget. The intimate diary of a family that struggles to overcome the tragedy. The scenes that are filled with energy of long ago suppressed events, which followed the protagonists of this story as a dark shadow for decades. The encounters with the persons that built their exceptionality and strength as a way to survive and to save hope. The exciting related parts of a large puzzle, which take us through the corridors of time, returning us to the tragedy and back to the liberating catharsis. Intended as an epic saga in a form of a fiction film, this is a subtle and layered documentary with a tension of a thriller and emotions of a great cinema melodrama. One of the largest transcontinental coproductions in recent documentary filmmaking.

SELECTOR'S WORD: Where lies the border between private and personal In this case there is no doubt as Berger invites us on his very personal and emotional journey in the framework of Chiles recent horror (hi)story. I learned a lot at the same time as I was watching a universal love story about a son and his father.

German Berger-Hertz

Born in Santiago, Chile in 1972. Studied Journalism and Art and Aesthetics. Worked as a journalist in two Chilean TV Stations and produced a series of documentaries. In 1997 he moves to Barcelona, where he currently resides. There he studies Cinematography (majoring in Direction and Editing) and pursues a Masters Degree in Documentary of Creation at Pompeu Fabra University. Works as director for film and TV docomentaries.

Selected filmography

VOYAGE TO NARRAGONIA (Viaje a Narragonia), 2002
MY LIFE WITH CARLOS (Mi vida con Carlos), 2009