SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN

Sweden, Great Britain 2012
86 minutes
directed by: Malik Bendjelloul

An exciting story about the search for evidence of one legend’s authenticity and a journey into the unknown. The dramatic composition of a suspenseful cinematic thriller is enriched by subtle yet profound layers, which are seamlessly interwoven into the narrative. SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN is a fascinating documentary about a miracle, a testimony to the power of poetry, a story about a prophet who found his place, a fairy tale about an outcast who is summoned back from nonexistence! The wonders of this story bear witness to the incredible connections between Africa and America.

This film is one of the greatest festival and theater successes in the history of contemporary documentary filmmaking. Being a charming and enlightening cinematic experience, SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN won numerous audience awards at festivals around the globe where it was screened. At the prestigious IDFA in Amsterdam, in addition to receiving the Audience Award, it was named the Best Music Documentary. Recently, it entered the official race for the Oscars, and both European and American critics unequivocally consider it one of the biggest contenders for the award. In Sweden, it was nominated in seven categories for the most important Swedish film award, Guldbagge, including nominations for Best Film and Best Feature Documentary.

The immense success of the film is certainly in great part owed to the superb Swedish-British coproduction – magnificently shot, with an impressive soundscape and, most of all, captivating editing and directing by a young Swedish filmmaker, Malik Bendjelloul. The producer of the movie, Simon Chinn, who is one of the most important creative producers in the world, had a significant role in this cinematic endeavor and it is no surprise that this is his third film in a row that has achieved outstanding results.

Selector's Word: An incredible story: interviews, archive, reconstructions, ”americana” images of streets and diners in Detroit, his city, and fine animation parts to accompany his music. How did he kill himself, with a gun pointing at the head or did he really set fire to himself on stage?

redboxfilms.co.uk/films/details/127/searching-for-sugar-man

Malik Bendjelloul

Born in 1977 in Sweden. Lives in Stockholm. He made many short and TV documentaries about music stars like Elton John, Björk, Sting, Madonna, U2. Also worked as producer and creative director of SVT’s documentary programme ‘Kobra’.

Selected filmography

SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN, 2012

© 2011. CVK KVADRAT member of EDN

TEA OR ELECTRICITY
LE THÉ OU L'ÉLECTRICITÉ

Belgium, France, Morocco 2012
93 minutes
directed by: Jérôme le Maire

A unique anthropological study, a film that takes us atop Moroccan mountains, to a place where all roads end, in order to discover a world intact and unpolluted by modern technologies and the troubles that come in their trail. A world of simple human problems and relationships, a world that has existed in this place unchanged for much longer than its oldest inhabitants can remember. It is a safeguarded world, in harmony with the surrounding nature that is both wonderful and cruel at the same time. But then huge trucks, metal constructions, miles of cables, and howling machines come unannounced, bringing something without which contemporary civilization cannot be imagined– electricity.

The film is, most of all, a story about the first encounter with the crucial element of the developed world that has become an integral part of our lives long time ago. The simple, yet peculiar question “TEA OR ELECTRICITY” conceals within a witty and inspiring encounter with some features of the contemporary civilization that invites us to challenge the values inherent to these novelties. The protagonists in this film can directly experience something that has been denied to us – what these new developments bring, and what they take away and change with their aggressive arrival into their world.

The film that won many accolades and was nominated for the European Oscars endlessly engages, surprises and entertains audiences at prestigious festivals. In this astonishing feat of author Gerome Lemaire and his dedicated crew, these committed documentary filmmakers have not only managed to capture magnificent scenes by following arduous paths, but they also discovered the top of the mountain from which the very world they came from becomes much clearer.

Selector’s Word:It takes time and patience, humour and love, dedication and respect to make a film so full of dignity and basic questioning on civilisation.

www.theouelectricite.be/

Jérôme Le Maire

Born in Liege, in Belgium in 1969. He studied journalisme and communication at the Université libre de Bruxelles. After that, he continued studying at the Institute of Media Arts (Institut des arts de diffusion) until 1995. After studying filmmaking he directed several short documentaries and short fiction films and he worked as an assistant director. He directed eight episodes of series “Le Belge Été“ (Belgian Summer) broadcasted by television Canal+. Since 2000 he is dedicated to documetary feature films. His film “Where is Love in the Palmgrove? “ was nominated for European Film Academy Award in 2007, just like “Tea and Electricity“ five years after that. In 2011 he made a fiction feature film “The Big Tour“ in manner of television reality programmes and it had itćs premiere at Film Festival Rotterdam.

Selected filmography

I’M NOT INTERESTED IN VOLTER (Volter ne m’intéresse pas), 2003
ONE DAY, ONE LIFE (Un jour, une vie), 2004
WHERE IS LOVE IN THE PALM GROVE? (Ou est l’amour dans la palmeraie?), 2007
LE GRAND TOUR, 2011
TEA OR ELECTRICITY (Le thé ou électricité), 2012

SOFIA’S LAST AMBULANCE
ПОСЛЕДНАТА ЛИНЕЙКА НА СОФИЯ

Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany 2012
75 minutes
directed by: Ilian Metev

Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital of two million people, is portrayed as an entangled labyrinth. There are only thirteen ambulance cars in the city, and it seems like just one cruises the streets, lost and forgotten. This is a story about a charismatic trio, the crew of this ambulance car, whose rescue missions are jeopardized by turbulent circumstances in which they take place. Nevertheless, their energy, sense of humor, compassion and dedication never leave the small space that they are forced to share every day. This well-organized trio, composed of one doctor, one nurse, and one young driver, conveys the weight and absurdity of the drama that happens around them through their tired faces that shine with the discreet glow of unnamed heroes.

For two years, the filmmaker was constantly present during his protagonists’ long shifts. SOFIA’S LAST AMBULANCE is a sophisticated work of a young Bulgarian director, Ilian Metev, a student of one of the best British documentary schools. This shrewd and masterfully directed work premiered at the Cannes festival. It won the Best Documentary award at the prestigious festival in Karlovy Vary, which launched its successful journey to numerous festivals around the world.

This exceptional documentary, characterized by a meticulous, consistent and minimalist directing approach, gradually constructs an ever expanding picture of the world that is imbued with dark overtones, yet seasoned with pungent humor and warmth.

Selector's Word: It is an impressively strong minimalistic work, simply masterly done. I was with the film the whole way through, and with these brilliant people.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofia's_Last_Ambulance

Ilian Metev

Born in Bulgaria in 1981. As a teenager in Germany, he pursued a career as a violinist and has performed on German classical radio. He studied Fine Art at Central Saint Martins - University of the Arts London, where he experimented with 16mm film. He completed his training at the UK National Film and Television School (NFTS) in 2008.

Selected filmography

GOLESHEVO (Голешово), 2008
SOFIA’S LAST AMBULANCE (Последната линейка на София), 2012

PALME

Sweden, Denmark 2012
107 minutes
directed by: Kristina Lindström and Maud Nycander

Olof Palme is one of the icons of the 20th century. He took part in various events, important Swedish as well as international conferences, and he had a significant presence in the media. TV and film particularly brought his charisma, eloquence and wit to the fore. Thanks to Palme, Sweden wielded great influence on important political developments in the world from the end of the sixties until Palme’s assassination in 1986. Brilliant at his public appearances, driven by fiery enthusiasm and visions of a better and more just world, he made a strong impact on both his supporters and opponents alike. While his fame extended beyond Sweden, Scandinavia and Europe, he also had enemies whose animosity towards him was just as intense as the admiration of his followers.

The diverse and vibrant visuals of this documentary are merged into a precise narrative flow. The most important creative collaborator of the Nycander/Lindström directing duo is the exceptionally talented and previously awarded editor Niels Pagh Andersen. Along with several collaborating editors, Andersen created a complex and well conceptualized mosaic that combines archival news reports, clips from old television shows and films, precious family home movies and testimonies of the most important people who were related to Palme. This multitude of perspectives conjures up a vivid image of a complex and powerful public and political figure, whose portrayal is enriched with subtle personal details.

This documentary has been the greatest theater success since the seventies. It premiered in September in 110 cinemas across Sweden, and has had larger audiences than Hollywood blockbusters. The reason does not only lie in the fact that the topic is relevant to all Nordic countries; rather, this visually sophisticated work is a very engaging, dynamic, and cinematic biography of a figure who left a lasting impression in the 20th century. It is a story of a magnificent era, of a world that we can hardly imagine today.

Selector's Word: There is a unique editorial balance between archive material, interviews, anecdotes about Palme AND the description of a man who had a vision for democracy and equal social opportunities, the excellent speaker, and the sometimes pretty arrogant politician.

www.b-reel.com/featurefilms/films/palme/

Maud Nycander She was born in 1960. She started her carrier as a still photographer and did several photo exhibitions and photo books. In the middle of the 90s she started to work with film and television. She collaborated with Kristina Lindström as a reporter on series “Elbyl” and “Kobra”. She did a course in documentary editing at the Dramatiska Institutet in Stockholm in 2003 - 2004. She hosts seminars where she talks about her work as a documentary filmmaker Selected filmography A ROOM FOR WARY SOULS (Rum för sjuka själar), 2006 THE NUN (Nunnan), 2007 THE PHOTOGRAPHER FROM RIGA (Fotografen fran Riga), 2009 CLOSED PSYCHIATRIC WARD (Sluten avdelning), 2010 PALME, 2012

Kristina Lindström She was born in 1957 in Sundbyberg, in Stockholm municipality, in Sweden A writer, journalist and filmmaker. She was trained at the School of Journalism in Gothenburg from 1977 to 1979. She has worked at the Daily News and has been a producer at Swedish Radio's community editorial board from 1984 to 1994. Employed by Swedish Television in 1994 as a project manager and producer Between 2000-2010 she was Director of Culture editorial on SVT. She initiated and was responsible for “Culture News”, “Kobra”, “Worst Language”, among other inovative programmes. She has made documentaries for radio and television. Selected filmography PALME, 2012

© 2013. CVK KVADRAT member of EDN

SOUNDBREAKER

Finland, 2012
86 minutes
directed by: Kimmo Koskela

A story about an accordion that is no longer an accordion. A story about an accordionist who decides to love the accordion, but only if he is not an accordionist. A story about sounds and music that are free from the shackles of the conventional and expected. A mighty clash of passion, noise, harmony, dissonance, shouts and sighs. The Finnish avant-garde artist Kimmo Pohjonen takes us on an exciting adventure in which he explores and creates unique compositions that make the world pulsate with the rhythm of his music. This extraordinary musician turns his powerful electric accordion into an instrument that reconciles seemingly incompatible musical genres. In his hands, this instrument becomes a peculiar object that takes many fascinating forms.

The whimsical Finnish filmmaker, cinematographer and director of numerous music videos, Kimmo Koskela, structures this documentary about the avant-garde artist as a play of sights and sounds that can accurately convey the unrestrained and uncompromisingly unconventional spirit of his protagonist. This story is, above all, about surrendering to unexpressed inner voices, and about faith in the power of the irrational and the intuitive. From the white Nordic surfaces covered in ice to African villages amid rich flora, the filmmaker tries to discover the authentic roots of Kimmo Pohjonen’s fascinating explosions of creativity.

Powerful sounds, music full of passion and an unconventional accordion player are the basic ingredients of this unusual music documentary that is sprinkled with just about the right amount of Finnish quirkiness!

Selector’s Word: Finnish, yes, which means slightly crazy, at least full of surprises and an expressionistic, powerful stylistical interpretation of a great artist. Music, ladies and gentlemen.

www.koskela.tv/kimmo_pohjonen_feature_documentary_film.html

Kimmo Koskela

Born in 1960. He has operated in cinema, photography, video and media art since the early 1980s. He has worked with many celebrated Finnish visual art pioneers He had many photographic exhibitions from 1985 to 2010 in Finland and abroad. Dedicated to dance films, music videos, performances and installations. Awarded for photography, films and video works.

Selected filmography

STILL NOT THERE, 1996
SOUNDBREAKER, 2012

WINTER NOMADS
HIVER NOMADE

Switzerland, 2012
90 minutes
directed by: Manuel von Stürler

The magic of a primeval journey through white and snowy landscapes. A middle-aged Swiss man and a young French woman with a distinct red hat, walk six hundred kilometers, filled with passion and escorted by four dogs, three donkeys and eight hundred sheep. This exciting odyssey, reminiscent of ancient times, happens in one of the most developed parts of Europe – Switzerland. This thrilling adventure, filled with drama, beauty and warmth, unfolds in the rhythm of the unbridled motion of its charismatic protagonists. The film shows us genuine nomads who fight against winds and blizzards, who search for roads in wastelands, for grass under snow, for shelter at the edge of the woods, for fire. Simple yet poetic moments come together before our eyes to create an epic saga of eternal migrations and quests.

This alluring documentary, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival, has been screened and has received awards at many prominent festivals across Europe and the world. It only recently had its theatrical premiere in Switzerland, Germany and Austria, and its theatrical release in France starts in February. WINTER NOMADS won the European Oscar for the Best Documentary and is a work that combines masterful directing, cinematography, editing and sound. Although this is Manuel von Stürler’s film debut, the Swiss filmmaker with his elegant style and precise directing approach exceeds expectations for a first feature film. This is certainly due to the fact that the director has a background in music and is already a well-rounded artist. He is thus able to make the images and scenery resonate with the wonderful rhythm that pulsates in the protagonists, in the motion and in the true encounter with nature.

This grand documentary is devoted to ordinary people who through skillful directing, exclusively for the audience of the film, become heroes of the times long forgotten. A glorious ode to freedom.

Selector’s Word: Do you know what "transhumance" is? This film tells you accompanied by a couple of charismatic characters and a lot of four-legged stars...

www.hivernomade.ch/en/

Manuel von Stürler

Born in 1968 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Studied the trombone at the music academy and at the Jazz and Contemporary Music School in Lausanne. Performed live a wide repertory, from classical to jazz and contemporary music. He played regularly with some of the most important jazz artists and groups. He composes music scores for theatre and stage performances. With Arthur Besson, he founds the “DUO MATo Company”. They collaborated with some of the well known stage directors in Switzerland. Together with his companion and their two children he spent two years of nomadic journeys in the Middle East, Iran, Eastern Europe, Iceland, South America. It gave him the opportunity to rediscover and practice an other of his passion: photography. He made several films on a personal level before being commissioned as a professional. In 2008, he starts his feature documentary project HIVER NOMADE.

Selected filmography

WINTER NOMADS (Hiver Nomade), 2012

PRIVATE UNIIVERSE
SOUKROMÝ VESMÍR

Czech Republic, 2012
83 minutes
directed by: Helena Třeštíková

The first space flight. TV set and television as a fetish and a miracle. Socialism, enthusiasm, optimism. Beloved pop singer as a star and an icon. Flight to the moon. The demise of socialism. Great historical events and important family moments documented in a new way – on film. All these memorable images are carved into collective memory as a symbol of one era commonly referred to as the twentieth century. Within this broad study of one stretch of time, Helena Třeštíková situates a wonderful and warm chronicle of a regular Czech family, told as if it were about characters from Menzel or Forman’s famous films. This documentary depicts a small universe consisting of grumpy grandmothers, first teeth, living next to the city pool, first socialist car, birthdays, babies.

Two chroniclers document simple events and thereby conquer their own PRIVATE UNIVERSE: Třeštíková documents the life of a family from the moment of a baby’s birth exactly 37 years ago, while the young father, driven by illuminating intuition, jots down everything that seems important to him. After almost four decades, those two chroniclers join forces to examine the complexity, importance and splendor of their simple everyday notes. This film is a document of that unique combination that gives rise to poetry, and like in an alchemic furnace, the burned parts fall off to let the precious pieces of everlasting value shine before us.

This is the most unusual story ever told about the conquering of the universe, but above all, it is a fascinating documentary endeavor – one entire epoch, almost the entire life of one family and that of one man, from his birth to the 37th year of his life, is contained in just one film. A magnificent praise to chroniclers and chronicles, to documents and documentarists.

Selector's Word: You should watch this film with your partner, wife, girl- or boyfriend. This is – apart from being a very good film – a true inspiration for keeping a love relationship intact.

negativ.cz/en/films/private-universe/

Helena Třeštíková

One of the most important and productive Czech and European documentary filmmakers. During 35 years she has directed over forty films. Helena Třeštíková was born on June 22, 1949 in Prague. Graduated documentary film directing in 1975 at film academy FAMU in Prague. In 1980 she made the most important author’s decision to start following people’s life stories on long-term basis. During next six years she dedicated herself to filming the everyday lives of several young couples from the moment of their wedding. The result came out in 1987 as six part television series “Marriage Stories” (“Manželské etudy”) and two feature-length documentaries. In 1991, together with her film colleagues and sociologists, Třeštíková established the “Film and Sociology” foundation with the aim of providing a new perspective of the society after the great political changes. At the same time she started a cycle of five time-lapse films following the life stories of young delinquents called “Tell Me Something about Yourself” (“Řekni mi něco o sobě”). The most famous one called “René” was completed in 2008 and it was awarded with European Academy Award. In 1994, together with her husband, publicist Michael Třeštík, she founded the “Man and Time” foundation specializing in time-lapse projects and films reflecting time, its flow and the changes it brings In 1996 she started following different women as heros for her new cycle named “Women at the Brink of the New Millennium”. The most important film from that project “Katka” was completed in 2010. Since 2002 she has been working as a pedagogue at the documentary film department at FAMU. Constantly working on her films.

Selected filmography

WITH LOVE (Z lásky), 1987
LOOKING FOR A WAY (Hledání cest), 1988
THE SWEET CENTURY (Sladké století), 1997
PEOPLE, I LOVE YOU! (Lidé, mám vás rád!), 1998
HITLER, STALIN AND I (Hitler, Stalin a já), 2001
MARCELA, 2006
RENÉ (René), 2008
KATKA, 2010
PRIVATNE UNIVERSE (Soukromý vesmír), 2012