Mining for the Real: Researching Docs

With: Nikolaus Geyrhalter, moderated by Djamila Grandits
Topics: #Berlinale Forum #Directing #Documentary #Sustainability

Parallel realities are subjected to acute observation in the documentaries of Nikolaus Geyrhalter. His cinematic work offers lucid looks at areas and topics such as industrial food production, sexual abuse or the stalled construction of an Austrian border fence. In his most recent work, Earth, screened at Forum, he turns his camera towards our relentless efforts to mine our planet. Characterised by extremely detailed long takes, Geyrhalter’s shoots are preceded by extensive research, the principles of which he will share with the audience. Geyrhalter’s notion of “scripted reality” is of particular interest here, suggesting preparation yet ultimately entrusting the interpretation of the many dimensions of an issue to the audience.

Nikolaus Geyrhalter

Nicolas Geyrhalter was born in Vienna in 1972. Since 1992, he has worked as a director, cinematographer and screenwriter. He started his own production company, Nikolaus Geyrhalter Film, in 1994. His credits include OVER THE YEARS (Berlinale Forum 2015) and HOMO SAPIENS (Berlinale Forum 2016). His documentary EARTH, a portrait of the Earth in the Anthropocene, is showing at Berlinale Forum in 2019.

Djamila Grandits

Djamila Grandits is a Vienna based cultural worker, curator and film programmer. As part of CineCollective she’s responsible for the artistic direction and management of Kaleidoskop Film und Freiluft. She is part of the selection committee of DOK Leipzig. Programming for frameout - digital summer screenings and tricky women | tricky realities. Jury at sixpackfilm and member of the non-fiction commission of Zürcher Filmstiftung. Works as moderator and host of various panels, events and interviews. Djamila cares about entanglements and the exploration of collective spaces. She is inquisitive about the intersection and deconstruction of theoretical concepts, artistic-, political- as well as activist forms and expressions.