'The Strength of Water', 2009, 86 mins
Dieser Film, ein Drama von neuseeländischer Filmemacherin Armaghan Ballantyne und Drehbuch Autorin Briar Grace-Smith wird nun endlich auch im eigenen Land, Premiere am 18. Juli in Auckland am Civic Theatre, nach erfolgreicher Filmfestival-Welttour gezeigt. Vertreten dieses Jahr auf den Filmfestivals in Rotterdam, Cannes, Sydney, Shanghai, Seattle und der Berlinale, gab bereits die Möglichkeit ‘The Strength of Water’, 2009, 86 mins, gespielt in Nordneuseeland an der rauhen Hokianga Küste in einer abgelegenen Maori Gemeinde, zuerleben.
Die berührende Geschichte der Zwillingsgeschwister Kimi and Melody gibt einen tiefsinnigen und detailierten Einblick darüber, wie die Familie, insbesondere Kimi, und die Gemeinde mit dem Tod von Melody umgehen. Der Film zeigt dem Zuschauer die Wahrheit der tragischen Situation und die jeweiligen Emotionskonstrukte und jenes Durchbrechen von Trauer, Glaube, Schuld, Schmerz und Misstrauen, die jenen Vorfall umhüllen. Wie nicht anders zu erwarten sind die Bilder atmenberaubend und binden sich harmonisch mit dem Sound und Inhalt zu einem Film, der einen Lebensglauben aus der Maori Kultur und der damit verbundenen Kraft der Natur, vermittelt.
Zu Fragen zum Film ‘The Strength of Water’ hat sich die Filmemacherin Armaghan Ballantyne wie folgt geäußert:
Q: Originally from New Zealand you have studied filmmaking at FAMU in Prague and did your Masters in Directing at AFTRS in Sydney. What inspired you to make this film ‘The Strength of Water’ set in New Zealand portraying a Maori family?
A.B.: ‘It was more my friendship with Briar the writer that developed first I got to know her work and we started hanging out I really liked her perspective on life. I was really interested in making something with her, telling one of her stories. Briar is Maori and wrote Maori characters, I felt very lucky to be invited into her world and gain a deeper understanding of the Maori way of life.’
Q: It took you 7 years to make that film starting with an idea until screening and the film made it immediately to two of the biggest film screening events, one in Rotterdam and the Berlinale this year. Did you ever doubt it will be screened at all in these years? And how do you think your first vision is accomplished in the final product?
A.B.: ‘I always felt very committed to getting the film made but creating a film is collaboration of many peoples energy, time and money so getting all those planets to line up is tricky at times! There were a couple of times in the process where the project felt like it had stalled to a halt but it never really left your mind, and you’d miss it if it went away for too long and that would give you the energy to ignite it and look for ways to keep it alive. I think the tone and texture of the film is quite close to what Briar and I first talked about doing obviously the story developed in plot and the characters deepened over time but the essence stayed the same.’
'The Strength of Water', 2009, 86 mins
Für weitere Info’s und trailer siehe: www.strengthofwater.com
Ein sehr empfehlenswerter Film!!!
