arte themenight
Welcome to Life - The business of fear
The most natural thing in life has become a highly technical procedure. Today, pregnancy and birth primarily revolve around money. For the right price, the market is offering expecting parents nearly anything to make sure their child's health is guaranteed.
Not sick, just pregnant
Control, perfection and risk minimization, those are the commandements of a society increasingly defined by fear. What are the ramifications of this growing wish for a perfect and secure life? Does it harm society more than it helps it?
directed by Dr. Stefanie Schmid-Altringer and Sabine Goette
commissioned by zdf/arte | 52 min
The adventure of "becoming a mother"
Pregnancy and birth used to be risky but everyday experiences in the lives of women. The outcome was accepted as fate. Today, most women decide on their own when and how they will "become a mother". They want to consciously experience, enjoy and shape this unique moment in life.
directed by Sybille Smolka
commissioned by zdf/arte | 25 min
The Little Monk
Two years ago the then 10 year old farmer's son Sanjaya moved from his parents' farm to the far away monastery Manang high up in the mountains of Nepal. Ever since then he is called Karma Loden. At first he had a hard time adjusting to his new life but now he likes the strictly organized daily routine. Karma is one of the most ambitious students at the monastery and in April he will have to pass very important exams in all subjects, if he wants to reach his big dream: Karma wants to become a big Lama.
directed by André Hörmann
commissioned by kika/rbb | 25 min
Hungary – Democracy or Dictatorship?
The current Euro crisis has directed all attention to countries like Greece or Italy and has not left much room to focus on other European Union member states. Hungary, for instance, member of the EU since 2004, is a place to be worried about. The nation has consistently moved towards a right-wing nationalist state, without any sort of public out cry from the rest of Europe. What are the intentions of Prime Minister Victor Orbán and his friends from the Fidesz party? What goals do they pursue? Critics speak of political conformity, anti-Semitism and labor camps. The EU commission does not currently have a public position on Hungary. Do Europeans underestimate the possible danger emerging from the East? Where does Hungary stand? How can we explain the current development and what direction will the country move in? The documentary film will get to the bottom of these questions.
directed by Malgorzata Bucka & Sugárka Sielaff
commissioned by NDR | arte | documentary | 52 min.
"Deutschland deine Künstler" - Matthias Brandt (Documentary Portrait)
Matthias Brandt is one of Germany’s most renowned actors. The portrayal of East German spy Günther Guillaume in the 2003 film „In the shadow of power” was his break through role. In 1974 the spy’s exposed identity led to the resignation of then German chancellor Willy Brandt, Matthias Brandt’s father. Brandt’s brilliant performance amazed audience and film critics alike. He has been swamped with offers for films ever since.
He often plays difficult, desperate characters – characters that embody the depths of the human psyche. Few others compare.
The actor Matthias Brandt enriches every film, he’s well aware of the magic of silence. His voice, glances and gestures evoke something disturbing, something secret.
We accompany Matthias Brandt during film shoots and readings and observe the actor as he manages to bring magic to his roles each and every time.
directed by Inga Wolfram
commissioned by SWR | SR | documentray | 45 min.
"Deutschland deine Künstler" - Hannelore Elsner (Documentary Portrait)
Hannelore Elsner is one of Germany's most well-known and respected actresses. We want to accompany the actress, who is approaching her 70th birthday, but has managed to remain extremely youthful and lively. She takes us on a journey through her life, uncomplicated and unpretentious. When we shoot at one of her film sets in Bavaria, she invites us to visit places of her childhood. She shows us her Munich, her Berlin, her Frankfurt. We accompany her on film sets, during readings and in the theater. Our camera gets very close to her - we look into her face, experience her world, her laughter, her happiness.
directed by Inga Wolfram
commissioned by SWR | SR | documentary | 45 min.
UNTIL I LOSE MY MIND
Documentary
At
the age of 39, Marina is faced with a shocking diagnosis: Alzheimer's.
Both her mother and her grandmother died of the disease. We follow Marina in
her everyday life and experience her struggle with the disease and her attempts
to realize her dreams before it’s too late.
DANCING BY YOURSELF
In Dancing by Yourself, director and writer Biene Pilavci poses the question, “can my four siblings and I succeed in building relationships with other people, after many years marked by hatred and extreme violence? Can we succeed even if neither our parents nor their parents were able to?”
When she is 12, Biene Pilavci runs away from her violent home and moves into a children’s home. Today she is 33 years old and understands that “you cannot go anywhere without taking your past with you.” Dancing by Yourself is a journey of understanding. The family’s faith in each other finally helps them to move on and become exactly what they cannot be: a completely normal family.
Documentary: Slumdogs Forever?
The documentary film tells the story of Rubina and Azhar who got to realize their dream of a better life, at least for a short moment, due to an incredible coincidence called "Slumdog Millionaire. Born and raised in one of Mumbai's many slums, the Academy Award led them from the the slum to Hollywood, onto the red carpet, into stretch limousines and luxury hotels – only to return right back to where they started: the slum. The fame, that hit Rubina and Azhar so unexpectedly, has not yet faded completely. The dream is still alive. But while the two child stars firmly believe that their movie careers are about to take off, they forget to go to school and don‘t realize that every day slum life has become their reality once again.
Crossmedia-Project: Mumbai Slum Diary
Mumbai Slum Diary is a crossmedia project about life in the slum, consisting of a web documentary and a linear documentary film called “Slum Dogs forever?”. The documentary film accompanies Rubina, the little star from Slumdog Millionaire, as she attempts to escape poverty. The web documentary goes further and explores the every day life of people living in the slum. Slums are believed to be the chaotic home of the poorest of the poor. But they are highly organized and follow rules and power structures. They resemble a city within a city. Rubina takes takes us on an interactive journey through her world, the Bandra Slum, located right next to Mumbai Domestic Airport. She will introduce us to what life in the slum looks like.
Allah's Russian Brides
Documentary
Since 9/11 more and more people all over the world have converted to Islam. Two thirds of them are women. This development is particularly noticeable in Russia, 20 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union. What motivates young Russian women, who are generally known to be rather emancipated and somewhat materialistic, to embrace the strict Muslim lifestyle?