July 15, 2010
41st INTERFILM General Assembly in Copenhagen
Hans Hodel re-elected President
(vis) The 41st INTERFILM General Assembly met on 12th June 2010 in Copenhagen. Held every three years according to the bylaws, it elects the President and the Steering Committee of twelve members (including the President). A report of the President, Pastor Hans Hodel from Switzerland, about the work of the presidium and of the Steering Committe in the last term, as well as a report of the Executive Director, Karsten Visarius, about the future of INTERFILM went ahead elections.
Hans Hodel’s report showed the impressive scope of INTERFILM’s acitivities, amazing particularly because INTERFILM must do without permanent employees. INTERFILM currently maintains 18 juries at international film festivals, of which 14 are Ecumenical juries (in cooperation with SIGNIS), 3 INTERFILM jurys and one interreligious jury. INTERFILM also organised a number of seminars and workshops, maintains a website and publishes the membership magazine INTERFILM Info. This work is made possible by the commitment of the members of the Presidium and of the Steering Committee, by the cooperation with the festivals, by partnership with SIGNIS (Catholic World Association for Communication), WACC (World Association for Christian Communication), and CEC (Conference of European Churches), and last but not least by support of the INTERFILM membership. For their indispensable donations the President thanked in particular the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), the Joint Association for Media Communication (GEP) in Frankfurt/Main, and the Reformed Media in Zurich.
Subsequently Karsten Visarius, film official in the Cultural Office of the EKD, explained the structural background of INTERFILM and the challenges the organization will have to face in the next years. In his estimation INTERFILM has to substitute a portion of the work done so far on a voluntary basis, as well as parts of church donations, by new financial resources. It follows that INTERFILM must establish an active fundraising.F
Finally in the elections the General Assembly followed the proposal of the Presidium and of the Steering Committee and confirmed Hans Hodel as President for the next three years. Newly elected as members of the Steering Committee were Mikael Larsson (Sweden), Philip Lee (Canada) and Jolyon Mitchell (UK).
The new Steering Committee held its first meeting after the General Assembly and elected the other members of the Presidium. It confirmed Denyse Muller (France) and Werner Schneider-Quindeau (Germany) as Vice-Presidents and Karsten Visarius as Executive Director. Philip Lee, Deputy Program Director of WACC and editor of the WACC quarterly "Media Development" was elected as new Vice-President. He replaces Andrew Johnston (Canada), who had receded from his office.
The participants of the General Assembly were guests at the award ceremony of the "Gabriel", the film prize of the Danish Church, on the preceding day. It took place within the annual State Assembly of the Church Councils in Nyborg. The winner was the film "Superbror" (Superbrothers) by Birger Larsen (Denmark 2009). The Gabriel is awarded since 2003 to films from Scandinavia.
July 15, 2010
DOGMA and Beyond
INTERFILM seminar in Copenhagen, report by Karsten Visarius
On the occasion of her 41st General Assembly INTERFILM, in cooperation with SteerCom member Jes Nysten, and Bo Torp Pedersen, president of her Danish partner organisation „Kirke og Film“, organised a seminar from July 10-13, 2010, in Copenhagen. The event has been supported by the Danish Film Insitute, the Christian P. Hansen and Wife Foundation, and the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD). Headed “Dogma and Beyond”, it referred to the “Dogma 95” manifesto which was launched at the 100th anniversary of cinema in 1995 by four Danish film directors: Lars von Trier, Thomas Vinterberg, Kristian Levring, and Sören Kragh-Jacobsen, also called the “Dogma Brothers”. They layed down ten rules for a renewal of film art which they labelled “Vow of Chastity”.
Film productions respecting these rules received a certificate introducing the film’s opening credits. They forbade special effects, artificial lighting, and force of arms, and prescribed to apply a hand held camera, as well as to shoot at original settings. After “Celebration” by Thomas Vinterberg, and “Idiots” by Lars von Trier, the first two Dogma films, having been invited to Cannes in 1998, Dogma 95 stirred up a controversial discussion, and inspired a number of followers. In 2002, the Dogma office which had issued the certificates was closed. Different numbers circulate about how many Dogma films were made. An online list based on self-applications has 254 titles, some of them obviously being deaf nuts. At the closing of the Dogma office 31 films were registered officially. After all, Dogma had effects far beyond those figures.
At the beginning Danish film critic Liselotte Michelsen introduced the Dogma movement, drawing upon extracts of the documentary “The Purified” (De lutrede, Denmark 2002) by Jesper Jargil. The film clearly illustrates the ambivalent and ironic attitude of the Dogma protagonists which for instance marks their playful reference to religious concepts and rhetorics. Michelsen especially emphasised two merits of Dogma: a cinematography set free from the predominance of technical efforts, and spontaneous acting not being restricted by a detailed script. The unleashing by a digital, mobile hand-held camera however did not meet approval only but also critical objections. They blame Dogma to abandon the demands of visual expression and a careful composition of images and to foster a tiring bulk of blurred or swish panned film sequences instead, being ennobled by Dogma and claiming to represent avantgarde cinema.
In retrospect the Dogma manifesto above all appears to be a successful marketing concept to promote a more or less ambitious, low-budget auteur cinema, and a movement of defence and self-reliance against the growing dominance and concentration on Hollywood blockbuster cinema. An example for this strategy are the Zentropa Studios founded in 1992 by Lars von Trier and Peter Aalbæk Jensen which produced a number of Dogma films, the first being “Idiots”. Peter Albæk himself explained the background of the company to the participants which relies on the idea of decentralised production units, and producer Ib Tardini, with “Italian for Beginners” having turned out the most popular Dogma film, guided a tour through the studio grounds. Meanwhile Zentropa is the biggest independent film production company in Scandinavia and has established a number of production offices in several European countries. Hans-Christian Schmid’s “Storm” for instance was coproduced by Zentropa.
Mikael Larsson, theologian and consultant for cultural affairs of the Church of Sweden, in his lecture rather emphasised the implicit effects of Dogma on Swedish film artists. Focussing on Lukas Moodysson („Fucking Amål“) and Roy Andersson („Songs from the Second Floor“), the most remarkable auteurs of contemporary Swedish cinema, he found a similar social criticism and aesthetic radicalism exploring the realm of modern subjecitivity. The similarities, Larsson explained, can be recognised better in their artistic self definition than in stylistic features complying with the Dogma rules. (To read the lecture, please click here).
Finally Jes Nysten, pastor and film critic from Denmark, suggested a provisional evaluation of the Dogma movement in general. He referred to the end of Jesper Jargil’s documentary once again when Lars von Trier notes that a true Dogma film has not been created yet. From this notion, a mixture of pretention, irony and provocation characterising many of von Trier’s statements, Nysten developed an ambitious ideal of creation which he identified as constant impetus of Lars von Trier’s artistic work at least. True to his father figure, Carl Theodor Dreyer, whose teacup is stored in the Zentropa studios and around which the crew of finished films used to gather in order to baptise the new work, von Trier appears to regard his accomplishments only as preliminary steps to an imagined chef d’œuvre. For Dreyer, it was his Christ project he worked on for decades but never finished. When Lars von Trier accidentally met the participants in the Zentropa cafeteria they asked him about his next film. He only revealed its title: “Melancholia”.
April 21, 2010
INTERFILM Seminar and General Assembly in Copenhagen
(vis) From June 10-13, 2010, INTERFILM, in cooperation with its Danish member organisation Kirge og film, organises a seminar in Copenhagen focussing on the Dogma films and their impact today. Within the seminar, the General Assembly of INTERFILM will take place.
The seminar’s subject is inspired by the locality. In 1995 four Danish film directors published a manifesto entitled “Dogma 95” which claimed for a more authentic way of filmmaking. The manifesto established 10 rules for film production which were testified by a certificate in the opening credits of a film if it complied with them. These rules demanded among others to abandon special effects, artificial lighting and weapons and to use only handheld cameras and original locations. Films like Tomas Vinterbergs “The Celebration”, Lars von Trier’s “Idiots” and Soren Kragh-Jacobsons “Mifune” are based on this concept. The ascetism of the manifesto was labelled a “vow of chastity” by the autors themselves. This indicates a religious dimension which apparently is related to certain tendencies in Scandinavian Protestantism.
Dogma 95 is strongly connected to the Zentropa Studios near Copenhagen which will be visited by the participants. Further, they will be guests of the award ceremony of the Danish Church Film Prize “Gabriel”.
The seminar is followed by the General Assembly of INTERFILM taking place every three years and electing the INTERFILM president and the Steering Committee. The actual president Hans Hodel is standing for election once again. The assembly will also discuss the future acitivities of INTERFILM.
March 20, 2010
Children and Youth Film Festival Malmö 2010
Church of Sweden's Award
The Church of Sweden's award at the Children and Youth Film Festival in Malmö was given to the Norwegian film
Vegas
directed by Gunnar Vikene, Norway 2009
with the following motivation: The film is awarded because it portrays, with great respect, three young people marked by life. In a tale as complex as life itself, the film shows that a spirit of community can exist even though love seems distant. It doesn't flinch from seriousness or from a sense of humor. A fearless punch in the stomach and a long embrace, full of warmth.
The jury consisted of:
Bob Hansson, writer, Stockholm
Nils Lundström, musician and teacher, Malmö
Rev. Lena Sjöstrand, officer of cultural affairs at the diocese of Lund (chairman of the jury)
Kajsa Wiktorin, writer and producer of film and art projects for youth, Stockholm
The film has also been awarded at the Nordic Filmdays Lübeck 2009 a Commendation by the Jury INTERFILM.
February 14, 2010
Ecumenical Reception Berlinale 2010: Special Award to Prof. Dr. Thomas Koebner
On the occasion of the 60th Berlinale the German churches made a Special Award which was presented at the Ecumenical Reception. Carrying a prize money of 3000,- €, donated by the German Bishops’ Conference and the Evangelical Church in Germany, the award was given to Prof. Dr. Thomas Koebner “in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the perception and acknowledgement of film as art form.” Koebner founded the Institute for Film Science and Media Dramaturgy at the University of Mainz where he teached till 2007, after callings to the universities of Munich, Cologne, Wuppertal and Marburg. 1972-1973 he was Film Commisioner in the Federal Government Department for Economical Co-operation, 1989-1992 director of the German Academy for Film and Television (dffb) in Berlin.
Koebner has fostered the appreciation of the relevance of film and the achievements of film artists, and significantly contributed to assert film as a field of research and a source of cultural inspiration in Germany, says the motivation for the award. By his numerous publications he conveyed the aesthetic wealth of film to a broad public. “The church film organisations owe profound respect and cordial gratitude to Prof. Koebner’s hermeneutic ingenuity,” the churches proclaimed.
The reception began with greetings from the Commisioner of Culture of the EKD, rev. Dr. Petra Bahr, the chairman of the Journalistic Commision of the German Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Dr. Gebhard Fürst, and the Programm Manager of the Berlin Film Festival, Thomas Hailer. The laudatory speech was made by Hans Helmut Prinzler, former director of the Foundation German Cinematheque and the Berlin Film Museum. Rev. Werner Schneider-Quindeau, chairman of the Ecumenical Jury, presented the award to Prof. Koebner.
INTERFILM's executive director Karsten Visarius congratulates Thomas Koebner
February 13, 2010
Robin E. Gurney Honorary Life Member of INTERFILM
hh/13.02.10 – By decision of its Presidium and action of its Steering Committee during a meeting in Berlin February 13, 2010, Robin E. Gurney, former communication and information officer of CEC, has been appointed Honorary Life Member of the International Inter Church Film Organization INTERFILM.
 From English Methodist background, Robin Gurney served as a Salvation Army Officer and missionary in Argentina, as a trades union official, as a public relations officer with the United Nations Association, and as Press Officer for the Methodist Church in London. He first came to Geneva in 1977 as a Press Officer for the World Council of Churches (WCC) and later created the communications coordinators network in the Commission on Inter-Church Aid, Refugee and World Service (CICARWS), before a period with the Commission of the Churches on International affairs. It was that time he produced for WCC the well done fiction film “Sanctuary” on the problem of refugees (written and directed by James Becket).
This was followed by four years in London as Media Secretary of the Church Mission Society. When Robin returned to Geneva to join the Conference of European Churches (CEC) in 1990 he therefore brought a diverse wealth of experience and expertise from which CEC has benefited immensely. At a time when communication and public relations are of ever-increasing importance – the more so for a relatively small organization like CEC – Robin has been the vital link between the CEC staff and governing bodies on the one hand, and the CEC member churches and the wider world on the other. “Monitor”, which Robin launched in 1992, is but one example on what the CEC owe him. Further, in collaboration with WCC, LWF and RWF he has played in 1994 a major role in creating the Ecumenical News International (ENI). One year before, in 1993 he brought CEC and INTERFIM together and became a member of its Steering Committee.
He then initiated the Templeton Award for religious journalism and in 1997 the European Templeton Film Award as he reported in Monitor No 22 from March 1998 on the first award for De Verstekeling (The Stowaway) by Ben Van Lieshout. Also after his retiring in 2001 he has served as a mentor and member of the jury for the Templeton Film Award till 2006, and he did the same at the Documentary Film Festival "Visions du Réel" in Nyon, where a new established interreligious jury from 2005-2007 awarded a Templeton Special Prize. Both projects developed more and more and received highly recognition. Nevertheless, in 2007 the Templeton Foundation unfortunately decide to close the two projects, But Robin (living with his wife Ruth in Buckinghamshire/England as well as keeping their very congenial apartment in Argelès-sur-Mer) is still going in cinema, visiting festivals and supporting INTERFILM generously.
February 10, 2010
In memoriam Ron Holloway (1933-2009)
Ron Holloway and his wife, Dorothea Moritz-Holloway (Photo: © Hans Hodel)
International cinema mourns the loss of a staunch supporter and critic, writes Philip Lee, editor of WACC's journal Media Development, in his obituary. One of Ron's last articles on films from and about Afghanistan appeared in Media Development. Read more.
James M. Wall, contributing editor of the Christian Century magazine and former president of INTERFILM North America, knew Ron from the beginnings of the National Center for Film Study (NCFS) in Chicago which was founded by Ron, Daniel Cantwell and Henry Herx in the early sixties of he last century. In his Internet blog Wallwritings Jim commemorates his late friend. You can find his article here.
Ron was Honorary life member of INTERFILM. Many of his festival reports appeared also on te INTERFILM website. They can be found in the festivals archive section, for example at the Other Festivals menu item.
September 14, 2009
INTERFILM in Venice 2009
Panel Discussion on Human Dignity in Iranian Cinema at the Mostra del Cinema
On the subject of „Stories of Human Dignity in Film: Focus on Iranian Cinema” INTERFILM , in co-operation with the Associazione protestante del cinema “Roberto Sbaffi” (INTERFILM’s corporate member in Italy) and hosted by the Fondazione Ente dello Spettacolo, the Catholic Italian film organisation, organised an ecumenical panel at the 66th Mostra internazionale d’arte cinematographica in Venice on September 9th. Chaired by Peter Ciaccio, managing director of “Roberto Sbaffi”, Iranian born directors Shirin Neshat and Babak Payami together with film critics Peter Malone (Australia) and Heike Kühn (Germany) discussed the possibilities of Iranian cinema to reveal human desires and sufferings in a country ruled by an authoritarian religious regime. The repression of the protests against the official election results in June with demonstrators murdered and opposition leaders arrested and forced to self accusations proved the actuality of the issues in question.
Shirin Neshat, awarded with a Silver Lion for Best Direction for her competition entry “Women Without Men” at the end of the festival, as well as Babak Payami, winner of the Golden Lion in 2001 for his “Secret Ballot”, both stated to be artists but not politicians. By emphasizing this distinction, they nevertheless realize their work to assume a political dimension by simply being truthful to the lives and identity of their fellow citizens. Living in exile, Neshat in the USA, Payami in Italy, and thus sharing the experience of a number of well-known Iranian film artists, they commented deeply pessimistic on the perspectives of improvements in Iranian society, all the more by films telling stories of human dignity. Facing censorship, marginalisation and oppression, film artists increasingly are unable to communicate their true intentions and observations within the country.
The actual situation given, Heike Kühn and Peter Malone expressed their admiration of the achievements of Iranian film makers in the past. Although facing political control, they managed to portray the shortcomings of the Islamic Republic either by metaphorical narratives or later, under the reformist presidency of Mohammad Khatami, even in a neorealistic style, so Heike Kühn in her appreciation of Iranian cinema. Its artistic virtues have been rewarded by numerous prizes at festival all around the world, as well as by critical acclaim by the public abroad. Peter Malone, former president of the World Catholic Association for Communication SIGNIS and member of the SIGNIS jury in Venice complemented this perspective by observations from the Fajr Festival in Teheran where he served in the Catholic/Muslim Interfaith Jury for several times. As in example he mentioned films on the war between Iran and Iraq which constantly attract the attention of Iranian audiences but never got known outside the country.
Peter Ciaccio closed the panel by quoting the dedication at the end of Shirin Neshat’s “Women Without Men”: “The film is dedicated to the memory of those who lost their lives in the struggle for freedom and democracy in Iran - from the Constitutional Revolution of 1906 to the Green Movement of 2009.” If films cannot claim to push forward political changes, they remain faithful to human dignity by bearing in remembrance human hopes, efforts and defeats.
The panel resumed the first INTERFILM presence at the Mostra del cinema in 2008, dedicated to the cinema in China.
Download the announcement of the event here.
See also the presentation of Heike Kühn in the Forum section.
July 20, 2009
Film in WACC's Quarterly "Media Development"
20.07.09/hh - «Reforming the Media» is the title of the issue No 1/2009 of Media Development. It includes a report by INTERFILM’s honorary member Ron Holloway on recent films from and about Afghanistan and an additional report on Afghan documentaries. As a starting point, Ron Holloway reminds us of an iconoclastic attack of the Taliban regime arousing world wide consternation. When the giant Buddha on the Silk Road at Bamyan were destroyed by radical Taliban clerics in March 2001 in accordance with a strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law, even the Afghan populace was stunned by the disrespect for their own cultural heritage. Beginning with Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s „Safar é Gandahar” (Kandahar, 2001) a number of films have raised voice against the relapse into barbarism.
The issue No 2/2009 is dedicated to „Environmental Communication“ and contains an article on „Poverty and environment in films set in Africa“ by Pat Brereton (Dublin). In a short overview it frames an analysis of Gavin Hood‘s Oscar winning study of South African poverty in Tsotsi (2006), alongside an overview of Blood Diamond (2007), both of which testify to a growing concern with Africa, while signalling a renewed interest and engagement with environmental and justice issues.
Media Development is published quarterly by the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) in Toronto (Canada). It publishes regularly «on the screen» reports on the activities of ecumenical festival juries. Media Development can be subscribed for US$ 40 on www.waccglobal.org.
July 19, 2009
History of CEC
19.07.09/hh - On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Conference of European Churches (CEC), the CEC Office of Communciations & Information has prepared a package which includes a 60 page booklet and a DVD. “A brief and incomplete history of the Conference of European Churches" was written by Robin Gurney and Luca M. Negro, respectively the former and present Communications Secretaries of CEC. The book is accompanied with the DVD "A pictorial History of CEC", by Robin Gurney, containing historical pictures from the early period of CEC to the present.
CEC is supportive of INTERFILM through corporate membership, based on the ecumenical vision both associations embrace.
July 1st, 2009
A journey to Gotland and Fårö
Report about the INTERFILM seminar from June 25-28, 2009
(hh/vis) It was in 2000, when INTERFILM, supported by Ylva Liljeholm and Karin Nyberg-Fleisher, organised a seminar in Örebro/Sweden. This year, INTERFILM returned to Sweden, inviting its members to the islands of Gotland and Fårö to take part in a seminar prepared again by Ylva Liljeholm meanwhile moving to Gotland’s main city Visby, and by Jes Nysten (Denmark), member of INTERFILM’s Steering Committee. The event was sponsored by the Cultural Department of the Swedish Church and took place in the framework of the Bergman Week on Fårö (www.bergmanveckan.se) where Sweden’s most famous director found his final resting place.
Bergman's grave on Fårö
Through a Glass Darkly – We See A Mystery
Considerable parts of the seminar took place in an old school house in Bygdegården on Fårö, beginning with a lecture of film critic and theologian Jes Nysten from Denmark. Using the "mirror scene" in Wild Strawberries as a starting point, he pondered Bergman’s use of he mirror as a symbol of man’s lack of understanding of both himself and others. The mirror, "the other’s gaze", offers a negative and false self-understanding. How can we see our true selves – face to face? This theme is also recurrent in the works of younger Nordic directors like Åke Sandgren and Simon Staho. Jes Nysten is a priest in Roskilde and a film critic for various publications.
 Tomas Ericson and the others. Pastoral characters in Bergman’s film
Having regard to research and reflections for his dissertation Peter Ciaccio gave a lecture on Bergman’s pastoral characters who refer to his childhood experience as a pastor’s son. However, Peter Ciaccio made a sharp distinction between Bergman’s biography and the function of pastors in his films underlining that they are shaped by his imagination and concepts and differ substantially from documents of his life. Even Bergman's autobiography contradicts other evidence in this respect. Peter Ciaccio himself serves as a pastor in a Valdensian community near Rome and is in charge of INTERFILM’s filial organisation in Italy, the Associazione protestante del cinema “Roberto Sbaffi”.
Hans Hodel and Peter Ciaccio at Bygdegården
August Strindberg and Ingmar Bergman: A Symbiotic Connection
Ingmar Bergman once said: „I’ve had a hard time with Strindberg“. Birgitta Steene, this year’s recipient oft he Strindberg Prize and contributing text editor of „The Ingmar Bergman Archives“ (winner of the August Book Award in 2008), lectured on Strindberg’s life-long impact on Bergman. It is an impact which, in Bergman’s own words, was based in both „repulsion and attraction“. To Bergman, Strindberg was established from early on as a kind of sibling soul whose presence made itself felt both in Bergman’s theatre work and in several of his films. Birgitta Steene is also author of the fundamental source for research on Bergman’s oeuvre, “Ingmar Bergman: A Reference Guide” (2006).
“Lighting is easy (turn on a lamp!) - the hard part is deciding where the shadows should be.“
In a personal recollection, illustrated by his own photos and clips from some Bergman films, Bo-Erik Gyberg talked about his experiences and impressions from working with Bergman’s favourite cinematographer, Sven Nykvist. Having worked closely with Nykvist on two Bergman feature films as a still photographer and assistant, Gyberg joined Nykvist on several international jobs in the 1970’s.They often talked about life, their profession and, above all, about light. The title oft he lecture is from one of their conversations.
Crisis (1946)
In one of Fårö’s rural cinema theatres, the “Bio”, the participants took the opportunity to watch Crisis, Ingmar Bergman’s directorial debut as a filmmaker. The stepdaughter of a piano teacher is courted by her real mother’s decadent lover. „Crisis is my first film. If someone had asked me to film the telephone directory I would have done it.“ (Ingmar Bergman).
The cinema "Bio" on Fårö
Bus Tour „Location Fårö“
On a bus tour the INTERFILM group followed the traces of films Ingmar Bergman shot on Fårö. During the guided tour, which spanned 3,5 hours they visited locations from Persona, Through a Glass Darkly, A Passion, Shame and Scenes from a Marriage. At the respective spots they could compare their impressions to a recently produced video with clips from the Fårö settings in the films. During the ride they also watched clips from the two documentaries Bergman had shot on Fårö.
Palermo Shooting by Wim Wenders
The seminar closed with the Swedish première of Wenders film Palermo Shooting, which was in competition of last year’s Cannes Film Festival. Photographer Finn (rock star Campino) leads a hectic but exciting life. When a nightly car crash almost claims his life, he finds himself face to face with life’s pointlessness. He travels to Palermo – the city of death – to regain his lust for life, but instead meets Death (Dennis Hopper). A philosophical thriller reminiscent of both Wild Strawberries and Seventh Seal – dedicated by Wenders to his favourite directors Bergman and Antonioni, who passed away on the same day in 2007. After the screening, Wim Wenders discussed with the audience. Wenders was honoured with the Special Award for his artistic achievements by the Ecumenical Jury on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of INTERFILM at the Locarno Film Festival 2005.
May 7, 2009
Documentary «Divorce Albanian Style», by Adela Peeva
(Sofia/press/hh) The last documentary produced by the Bulgarian film director Adela Peeva, which was since his release in 2007 very successfull in winning several nominations and awards («Best Bulgarian Documentary 2007», «Human Rights Award» at the XIV Sarajevo International Film Festival 2008, Prize of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR Idée Suisse 2008 and many others), won recently again two awards at the South East European Fim Festival in Los Angeles: «Critics Choice Award Best Documentary» and «Audience Choice Award Best Film». INTERFILM wants to congratulate his member Adela Peeva for this wonderful and succesfull film.
The story of the film (59’/66’), shot in Albania, Russia and Poland, is about love and separation, about families forcibly separated by the totalitarian regime of Enver Hodja – the longest-serving European dictator of the 20th century – only because their wives were foreigners. It takes place in the surreal world of 1960s communist Albania. As told by survivors of this extraordinary period, Divorce Albanian Style reveals the experience of the many thousands of families that were forcibly separated by the totalitarian regime of Enver Hodja, the longest-serving European dictator of the 20th century. Near the height of his mania, in 1961 Enver Hodja broke off Albania’s relations with the Soviet Union. Albanian men married to foreign women were forced by the state to split from their wives – women from all over Eastern Europe - who were subsequently expelled. The official reason was alleged espionage. Hojda quickly created a mechanism to deal with those who refused to leave. KGB-trained secret police collected “evidence”, minor clerks became “investigators”, carpenters were made into prosecutors and labor camps expanded. The women who stayed – and their husbands - spent years in prisons, the last released in 1987. Divorce Albanian Style tells the stories of three of these couples, and of the apparatchiks and officers of the secret police who changed their lives forever.
Adela Peeva holds a degree from the Academy for Film, Theatre and TV in Belgrade. From 1973 till 1990 she worked at the Documentary Film Studio in Sofia. The films of Adela Peeva are always dealing with controversial subjects. Some of her films (“In the name of sport“, “Mothers”) were prohibited by the communist regime. Later on, after the democratic changes the films were screened both in Bulgaria and abroad and awarded. In 1991 she established her own production company „ADELA MEDIA”. From that time dated also her interest about the Balkans. She made the following award wining films on Balkan subjects “Born from the Ashes”, “Right to chose“ “The Unwanted”, “Whose is this Song?” - Nominated for European Film Academy “Best Documentary - Prix ARTE” 2003 award, participated at over 50 International film festivals all over the World and was awarded 16 prizes, ”Divorce Albanian style” - Nominated for European Film Academy “Best Documentary - Prix ARTE” 2007. More information and trailer: www.adelamedia.net.
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