Documentary Films - Competition 2012 / Dur d'être dieu / Switzerland, Russia 2012
Kostomarov and Cattin (The Mother at KVIFF 2008) record the ten-year, as yet unfinished, shooting of the new film by Russian director Aleksei German, Sr. based on a novel by the Strugatsky brothers. This is a powerful look at a particular place with its own particular rules, a portrait not only of a renowned and uncompromising creator, but of his country as well.
Almost 75 years of age, Alexei German is one of the greatest living Russian directors. He is well-known not only for his despotic behaviour on set, but also for his incredible precision. Perhaps this is also the reason he has only made four films to date (e.g. My Friend Ivan Lapshin and Khrustalyov, My Car!). Production on his latest film, this time based on the novel by the Strugatsky brothers, Hard to Be God (Trudno byt bogom), has been ongoing for more than ten years. Directing duo Cattin and Kostomarov (The Mother – screened at Karlovy Vary in 2008) were given permission to move about freely on set with two cameras while German was shooting his film, and during breaks they talked to the man himself. This suggestive glimpse into a specific environment with its own rules, from which the filmmakers were able to capture the essence of truth during the creative process, is a portrait not only of a celebrated and uncompromising artist, but of his country as well.
67 min / Color, DIGIBETA
International premiere
Director Antoine Cattin, Pavel Kostomarov
/ Screenplay Antoine Cattin
/ Dir. of Photography Antoine Cattin, Pavel Kostomarov
/ Editor Antoine Cattin
/ Producer Elena Hill
/ Production Les Films Hors-Champ
/ Contact Les Films Hors-Champ
Antoine Cattin (b. 1975, Saignelégier, Switzerland) studied history, film and Russian language at the University of Lausanne, graduating in 2001. He worked in Russia as an assistant director to Sergei Loznitsa, among others. He currently works with Pavel Kostomarov. Their joint film The Mother (2007) was screened in the doc competition at KVIFF 2008. Pavel Kostomarov (b. 1975, Moscow) studied cinematography at VGIK (2003). As a cameraman he has worked with eminent Russian filmmakers (Sergei Loznitsa, Vitaly Mansky, Alexei Uchitel and Alexei Popogrebsky). He received a Special Mention for his work on Loznitsa’s The Settlement at KVIFF 2001. Two years ago he won a Silver Bear at the Berlin IFF for his camerawork on Popogrebsky’s film How I Ended This Summer.
Les Films Hors-Champ
Grand’Rue 41A, 1373, Chavornay
Switzerland
Phone: +41 215 503 640
E-mail: [email protected]
Elena Hill
Producer
Antoine Cattin
Film Director, Film Director
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