2006GD_DRUCK.qxd 30.01.2006 11:59 Uhr Seite 1 Dearest readers of this catalogue, In the summer of 1996, a relatively small professional asso- of the best and most powerful public television systems in ciation of Independent German producers presented its the world. This guarantees not only a high level of quality, first catalogue "german documentaries” at the film market but something else which is becoming increasingly rare in in Marseille. Ten years have passed since the appearance of today’s media world: diversity. Naturally, we also have the this modest eight-page catalogue of twenty-two films. fast-selling and internationally successful documentary During this time, much has changed. The German Docu- series. But they are only one part of a broad range of pro- mentary Association (AG DOK) has more than doubled in ductions. We also maintain a vibrant theatrical documen- size. Today it numbers over 750 writers, directors, and pro- tary scene, which continues to grow with the advent of ducers, making it one of the largest film associations in electronic projection. Recent documentary hits include Germany. And our modest marketing undertaking has be- "Rhythm is It!” and "The Importance of Silence.” But the come a foundation for the presentation of German films core of our documentary film culture remains the broad abroad. In 2004, we joined forces with "german films” – spectrum of fascinating topics and innovative forms, which the largest marketing platform of the German film industry we would like to draw to your attention with this catalo- – in order to better position German documentaries in the gue. international market as special programs at major interna- No longer with a modest twenty-two titles, but packed tional film festivals and at meetings between German and with a proud 165 films from 2005 and 2006, sorted by foreign producers, for example. Many commissioning edi- topics to facilitate your search. tors, critics, film buyers and festival directors have come to We hope the new "german documentaries” catalogue will know and cherish the AG DOK market stand as an impor- become a useful tool for you, and that its multitude of tant source of information about the German documentary contact information will open the door to a fascinating and film industry. productive film nation – Germany. One thing has not changed, however: the label "german documentaries.” It stands as a trademark and seal of Thomas Frickel approval for the professional, artistic quality of our docu- Chairman & General Manager of AG DOK / German mentary film production. Germany continues to have one Documentary Association german documentaries 2006 311 2006GD_DRUCK.qxd 30.01.2006 11:59 Uhr Seite 2 ABSOLUTE WILSON by Katharina Otto-Bernstein THEATRE | PORTRAIT | ART "Absolute Wilson" chronicles the epic life, times and creative genius of Robert Wilson, intimately revea- ling for the first time one of the most controversial, rule-breaking and downright mysterious artists of our era. More than a biography, the film becomes an exhilarating exploration of the transformative power of creativity itself - and the inspirational tale of a boy who grew up as a troubled and learning- disabled outsider in the American South only to become a fearless artist with a profoundly original perspective to share with the world. The narrative reveals the deep interconnections between Wilson's childhood experiences and the haunting beauty of his monumental works, which include the theatrical sensations "Deafman Glance," "Einstein on the Beach" and "The CIVIL WarS." Along the way, the film introduces an array of admirers, friends and critics – ranging from musician David Byrne to the late Contact: Frank Otto writer Susan Sontag to composer Phillip Glass and singer Jessye N. Medienbeteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG Holzdamm 51 Festivals: Berlinale/PANORAMA 20099 Hamburg, Germany 109min | DigiBeta | English version tel.:+49 (0) 40 / 28 40 17 - 0 fax: +49 (0) 40 / 28 40 17 40 www.fomedien.de ACTS OF MEN by Kiko Goifman HUMAN RIGHTS | ESSAY "Acts of men" should have been a film about the daily lives of survivors from massacres in Brazil. Everything was planned for us to start shooting in April, 2005. But reality did not wait. On the last day of March, exactly one month before shooting would start in our schedule, things changed: a terrible massacre took place in Baixada Fluminense, near the city of Rio de Janeiro. 29 people were killed by a death squad, the highest massacre of the history of Rio de Janeiro. Fear in the city and in our crew… Production: PaleoTV The killers, already confirmed, are extermination groups comprising policemen that work in the area, Rua dr. Alberto Seabra, 1010 cj 31 São Paulo – São Paulo – 05452-001 and who are involved in extortions, kidnapping, drug dealing and homicide. This has been going on Brazil [email protected] since the 1950's and is peaking to an extreme today. www.paleotv.com.br [email protected] Festivals: Berlinale/FORUM or: Original title: ATOS DOS HOMENS Mil Colores Media 75min | 35mm | original version with German or English subtitles Ms. Gúdula Meinzolt Kreuzweg 6 82131 Stockdorf, Germany cellph.: + 49 (0) 160 / 90 200 454 [email protected] ALFREDO'S MODELS by Angi Welz-Rommel ARTS | CULTURE | SOCIAL The 47-year-old Spanish painter Alfredo Fernández y González specializes primarily in portraits of old people. He finds his models in senior rest homes and homeless shelters, visits them in their apartments or receives them in his atelier. Alfredo's Models is not a film about painting, and it is not a portrait of the painter Alfredo G. The portrait sittings nevertheless play a critical role in the film's structure, are responsible for repeatedly bringing the seniors and the painter together. The film documents this unique attempt to use images, a painted portrait, to awaken the memories Contact: TAG/TRAUM Filmproduktion and emotions of these old people, to render more transparent their actual ways of living – without a Weyerstr. 88 50676 Cologne, Germany psychiatrist or medical assistance, without any whining or false sentimentality. tel.: +49 (0) 221 / 650 2 590-0 fax: +49 (0) 221 / 23 38 94 Festivals: FIPATEL [email protected] German title: ALFREDOS MODELLE www.tagtraum.de 72min46sec | BetaSP | PAL | 16:9 | original German version with French subtitles available 312 german documentaries 2006 2006GD_DRUCK.qxd 30.01.2006 11:59 Uhr Seite 3 THE ALP EXPERIENCE Across the Alps on a Mountain Bike by Roland Schymik TRAVEL | ADVENTURE A group of four mountainbikers get filmed on her one-week- trip over the alps. We get the experience of one of the last adventures in time. The grout start at Mittenwald in Bavaria, traverse Austria an drive deep into the north of Italy. The old forts and bunkers from the First World War gives the sporty power and the unique landscape a horrible scenery. The documentary gives us an insight of the historical backgrounds of the great fortresses. The group travel on Contact: footpaths, smugglerpaths and military roads of the two Word Wars more than 600km and 20000slm. AtelierBusche.MEDIA The goal is the Garda-Lake where the alps are ending and the lowlands of Italy begin. Dieselstr. 13 71332 Waiblingen, Germany tel.: + 49 (0) 7151 / 50 282-44 fax: + 49 (0) 7151 / 50 282-60 German title: ABENTEUER ALPENCROSS – Mit dem Mountainbike über die Alpen [email protected] 60min | miniDV onto DigiBeta | 4:3 | DVD German or English version AND IF THEY HAVEN'T PASSED AWAY … The Children Of Golzow – The End of an Endless Story by Barbara and Winfried Junge LONGTERM | GERMAN REUNIFICATION In 1961 Winfried Junge made a short portrait of children in their first year of school in the East Contact: PROGRESS Film-Verleih GmbH German village of Golzow (Oderbruch), only a few days before the Berlin Wall was built. In the mean- Immanuelkirchstr. 14 time this chronicle has grown in more than four decades into 18 films between 13 and 284 minutes 10405 Berlin, Germany tel.: +49 (0) 30 / 240 03-225 in length. The latest work portrays five of the "Children of Golzow", who are now all over the age of fax: +49 (0) 30 / 240 03-222 [email protected] 50: Ilona, electrical engineer and later youth functionary in Frankfurt (Oder); Winfried, engineer for www.progress-film.de electronic equipment making, who for a while was also commander of the industrial militia group in his factory; Jürgen, the house painter and wallpaper hanger who is now a transport and supply wor- ker in Manschnow; Christian, agricultural machine fitter who is meanwhile superintendent at the "Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau in Berlin"; and finally Petra, who like Winfried finished high school, wanted to become a doctor, but move to Mecklenburg as a civil engineer. In the meantime the original ten-year Oderbruch school is only used as an elementary school. A small museum with a permanent exhibition on the "Children of Golzow" has been installed in the classrooms that are no longer used. This long-term chronicle, conducted over a period of 45 years, is the longest in film history. There might still be a final episode about the Golzow "children" coming up, according see also to Barbara and Winfried Junge, which could have the title: "...and they lived happily ever after". german documentaries 1996-2002 page 49 Festivals: Berlinale/FORUM for more information German title: UND WENN SIE NICHT GESTORBEN SIND ... about the longest Die Kinder von Golzow – Das Ende der unendlichen Geschichte (1. und 2.Teil) logtermobeservation 278min (part1: 151min, part2: 127min) | 35mm | DigiBeta | original German version with English subtitles in the history of film! german documentaries 2006 313 2006GD_DRUCK.qxd 30.01.2006 11:59 Uhr Seite 4 AT HOME IN KABUL by Michael Strassburger PORTRAIT | CONFLICTS | HISTORY | POLITICS | PORTRAIT | TRAVEL Contact: Michael Strassburger Isabellenstr.14 50678 Cologne, Gemany tel.: +49 (0) 221 / 348 98 59 cellp: +49 (0) 176 / 29 59 00 36 [email protected] World Sales: ACADEMY OF MEDIA ARTS COLOGNE The film visualizes the return of Felix Loewe to Kabul, where he spent his childhood between 1977 Peter-Welter Platz 2 and 1984.