#Patrick Holzapfel

[aaroncutler]

On Trying: An Exchange About Essayistic Film Writing

January 6th: The link above leads to an exchange of letters between me and the German film critic and programmer Patrick Holzapfel, which was originally published in print form in a special edition of the magazine Jugend ohne Film (aka Youth Without Film) during the most recent edition of the Viennale (Vienna International Film Festival) in October of last year. The occasion was a launching of a young film critic’s workshop (coordinated by Patrick) within the festival, and the theme of the exchange was the current state of essayistic film writing, around which we shared with each other a total of eight letters (four from each of us) sent by e-mail between the beginning of September and shortly before the Viennale’s start.

I had known and admired Patrick’s writing for some years, principally through the beautiful series of English-language articles called “Full Bloom” that he and Ivana Miloš co-authored for the web publication MUBI Notebook. What struck me most about the Austria-based critic’s writing was its quality of what Thom Andersen once called a “militant nostalgia” – a certain dedication to using art as a way to preserve the memory of human decency, and one which goes beyond the world of art to embrace the entire surrounding world in its deployment. Within Patrick's very personal approach, dissatisfaction becomes a necessary tool in the work of helping the world become a more wholesome place, and the Self appears less as an agent than as a witness that can usefully recall how aspects of it once were. I identify both with the style of writing and with its sensibility, and it strikes me as hardly coincidental that we both greatly value Straub-Huillet’s films and the vision of cinema that they represent – one in which the past is a living, breathing, tangible thing that works to make the future better.

Our dialogue and the shape it took grew out of Patrick’s initiative, which I believe was inspired by conversations that we were already holding with each other. The initial challenge that I felt to my participation was a basic one founded on a question: What on Earth is there to say? The broad nature of the topic at hand, combined with my narrow range of experience, at first led me to feel that the premise of the thing was somewhat farcical, and I chose to deal with my feelings by thinking of myself as a clown character who might gain courage enough to take off his make-up as the conversation progressed. An irony of such a move, of course, resided in how my effort to eventually reach a point of seriousness led me to making multiple claims that I regretted almost instantly after publication. Yet with that said, I also understood some regret to be an unavoidable outcome of any exercise that involves sharing oneself, which one could inevitably always do and have done better. The point was to try.

As I look at the exchange again, two components of my participation strike me in particular as being hopefully useful. The first is the emphasis that I placed on the necessity for a writer to reach out to voices beyond his or her own for reference and inspiration, together with the importance of feeling dissatisfied with too much self-regard. This is a point that I don’t think should be belabored, due to the difficulties of being specific about something general and the impossibilities of resolving a broader problem with a single quick fix (for instance, if Patrick had invited someone more ostensibly different from him in my place). At this moment, I feel comfortable saying that it involves a work of constant searching, which likely no one has the energy to do always, but which often leads to edifying results. I also think that it’s important to say that one should not need to look purposefully for value in that which is different; if one simply casts a net wide enough, that value will emerge on its own.

The second component is the emphasis that I placed on hope as something that both keeps us alive and propels us creatively, outside of questions of simple survival. I find hope to be embodied in my contribution through the figures of two people named Mariana and Ava, whose special qualities exist for me in ways far beyond the realm of words.

[goldenpixelcoop]

The Golden Pixel Cooperative zeigt neue Filme im Rahmen der 20. Kunstbiennale „refinerymonastery“ in Pančevo

24.06.2022, 20:00 Kulturni Centar Pančeva, Vojvode Živojina Mišiča 4 Pančevo, Serbien Kooperationspartner: 20. Kunstbiennale Pančevo “refinerymonastery” kuratiert von Maja Ćirić Mit Unterstützung des Österreichischen Kulturforum und der Österreichischen Botschaft in Belgrad Dauer: 90 Minuten

Mit Filmen von Iris Blauensteiner & Christine Moderbacher, Enar de Dios Rodríguez, Marlies Pöschl, Katharina Swoboda, Simona Obholzer, Lisa Truttmann

Die 20. Kunstbiennale in Pančevo ist thematisch von einem lokalen Hybrid inspiriert: sie bezieht sich auf die ikonische und scheinbar gegensätzliche, unmittelbare Koexistenz der Ölraffinerie und des Vojlovica-Klosters, deren wechselseitige Abhängigkeit je nach Blickwinkel symbiotisch oder konfliktreich sein kann. Die Biennale "refinerymonastery" wirft die Frage auf, ob und wie es möglich ist, außerhalb der vom Kloster und der Raffinerie erzeugten Matrizen, Muster und Bedingungen zu agieren – jede*r fü r sich und gemeinsam �� und wie das Verhältnis zwischen begrenzter kirchlicher Aktivität und unbändigem Bedürfnis nach Offenheit und Erfindungsreichtum gelöst werden kann.

Das "Raffinerie-Kloster" kann vorübergehende Antworten in der Kunst finden, die spekulative Phantasie und Technologie miteinander versöhnt. Wenn es unmöglich ist, vom Dogmatismus oder dem Hyperkapitalismus abzuweichen, dann ist ein künstlerischer Vorschlag im Sinne der Schaffung einer vorübergehenden Differenz ein Ausweg sein. - Maja Ćirić

Iris Blauensteiner & Christine Moderbacher: Die Welt ist an ihren Rändern blau MiniDV/Super 8/HDV, 16:9, Farbe, Stereo-Ton, 15 min, AT, 2021

“Was könnte ich dir erzählen über die Welt, in der ich lebe?” Adressiert an das ungeborene Kind versucht die Erzählerin mit teils klaustrophobischen Bildern und intimen Notizen einer Schwangerschaft in Pandemiezeiten Antworten darauf zu finden. Ausgehend von einer prägenden Kindheitserinnerung spannt der experimentelle Kurzfilm einen Bogen vom Eisernen Vorhang, über die sogenannte “Flüchtlingskrise” und das erneuerte Schließen von Grenzen während Covid-19. Texturen von immer näher rückenden Wänden verschwimmen dabei mit verpixelten Landkarten zu einem subjektiven Porträt einer neuen Realität und ihrer digitalen Bilderwelt.

"Die Welt ist an ihren Rändern blau von Christine Moderbacher und Iris Blauensteiner schaut in eine ungewisse Zukunft. Es ist ein Film über das Leben und das, was es verhindern könnte. Zwischen den Wahrnehmungsfetzen einer düsteren Gegenwart gezeichnet von Lockdowns und Bildschirmen, hört man den noch schwachen Herzschlag eines Embryos. Im Film teilt die Mutter ihre Gedanken mit dem ungeborenen Kind. Doch was kann sie ihrem Nachwuchs zeigen, welche Bilder dieser Zeit können und sollen bleiben? (Patrick Holzapfel)

Enar de Dios Rodríguez: Liquid ground HD, 16:9, Farbe, Ton, 32 min, AT/ES, 2021

Obwohl die Ozeane mehr als 70 % der Erdoberfläche ausmachen, wurde bisher nur ein sehr kleiner Teil des Meeresbodens kartiert. In den letzten Jahren beschleunigte sich jedoch die Vermessung submariner Räume. Diverse geopolitische und wissenschaftliche Akteure treiben die Schaffung eines "neuen Kontinents" unter dem Meer voran, der erforscht und ausgebeutet werden soll. “Liquid ground” ist ein Video-Essay, der den Meeresboden und seine aktuelle Kartographie als Ausgangspunkt nimmt, um über Kolonialismus, Ökologie und Repräsentation zu sprechen.

Marlies Pöschl: Shadow Library 4K-Video, 16:9, Farbe, stereo, 7 min, AT, 2021

In einer nahen Zukunft werden Daten nicht mehr in Datenzentren, sondern in der DNA von Pflanzen gespeichert. Während einer Präsentation des Daten-Gartens von Cyan, einem österreichischen Mobilfunkhersteller, verirrt sich dieser Film durch Zufall eine zweite, unsichtbare „Bibliothek“ – die Shadow Library, die auf einigen der Pflanzen gespeichert ist. Auf diese Weise thematisiert dieses Video, wie die Auswirkungen der global ungleichen Produktionsverhältnisse sich in Pflanzen einschreiben, mit den Pflanzen migrieren und sich somit im kollektiven Gedächtnis verankern.

Der Text im zweiten Teil des Videos basiert auf Gedichten der chinesischen Lyrikerin Zheng Xiaoqiong, die in ihren Texten die Lebens- und Arbeitsbedingungen von chinesischen Wanderarbeiter*innen thematisiert. Der Soundtrack des Films (“Fern” von Mileece) basiert auf Sonifizierung von elektrischen Strömen in Pflanzen.

Katharina Swoboda: Stones 2K-Video, 16:9, Farbe, stereo, 8 min, AT, 2021

Die Stoffe, die in ein Smartphone eingebaut sind, werden aus der Erde gewonnen. Große Mengen an Gestein müssen abgebaut und dann mühsam verarbeitet werden, um die Komponenten zu gewinnen, die für den Bau des Telefons benötigt werden. Einige dieser Gesteine, aus denen Elemente wie Palladium, Tantal, Lithium oder Seltene Erden gewonnen werden können, werden im Video gezeigt. Eine Wissenschaftlerin untersucht diese Steine durch ein Mikroskop und wir werfen mit ihr einen abstrakten Blick auf die „inneren Landschaften“ eines Smartphones. Das Video endet mit einem Experiment und der Auflösung eines Mobiltelefons.

Simona Obholzer: Perfect Particles (x kWh) 2K-Video, 9:16, Farbe, stumm, 6 min, AT 2021

Schneefall hinterlässt eine spezielle Art von Landschaft. Es legt sich eine weiße Schicht über alles, sie gibt allem eine neue Oberfläche. Die Schneelandschaft ist eine hoch emotionalisierte Landschaft, die auf vielfältige Weise imitiert wird und hinter der in Zeiten der Klimaerwärmung viel Technik steckt.In “Perfect Particles (x kWh)” wird computergenerierte Natur herangezogen. Es fällt unaufhörlich Schnee, mal stärker, mal schwächer. Die Hände der Künstlerin strecken sich dem “Natur-Schauspiel” entgegen, in Erwartung eines zufälligen, flüchtigen Kontakts. Die Flocken sind jedoch digital generiert, sie haben keinen Ursprung in der materiellen Welt. Die vom so genannten Emitter ausgestoßenen Partikel hinterlassen keine Spuren auf dem Bild, dessen Teil sie geworden sind. Der physische Kontakt bleibt ein gedankliches Experiment.

Simona Obholzer adressiert mit ihrer Installation den Betrachter*innenkörper als Leerstelle zwischen den Screens. Sie ruft die haptische Wahrnehmung der Betrachtenden auf und spielt mit ihrer Orientierung zwischen Bildraum und realem Raum. Handrücken und Handfläche erscheinen auf dem Bildschirm in etwa gleich groß wie die realen Hände der Besucher*innen, sie suggerieren eine Ausrichtung: oben und unten.  Beides Raum-Lage-Bezeichnungen denen in der Ursprungslosigkeit des Digitalen keine große Bedeutung zukommt. Es entsteht so eine Differenz zwischen physiologischen Gegebenheiten und der virtuellen Landschaft.

  Lisa Truttmann: Tracks I-III HD-Split-Screen, 16:9, Farbe, stereo, 20 min, AT, 2021

Als “Phantom Rides” geisterten zu Beginn der Filmgeschichte schnell vorbeiziehende Landschaftsbilder durch die ersten Kinosäle. Waren es zunächst Kameras, die auf Zügen montiert in Höchstgeschwindigkeiten vermeintlich unberührte Gebiete visuell eroberten, so sind es nun auch mobile Funksignale, die unseren technologisierten Blick steuern und Landschaftsräume mit erschließen. “Tracks I-III” geht auf Spurensuche und verfolgt, fragmentarisch und assoziativ, die ehemalige Teilstrecke der “Ischlerbahn” zwischen Mondsee und Strobl. In einer digitalen Geisterbahn der Gegenwart durchqueren wir die Landschaft, suchen nach Anhaltspunkten und blicken zugleich nach vor und zurück. Wir fragen danach, wie unsichtbare Funksignale reisen, wie sich diese in bewegten Bildern manifestieren, und warum wir jetzt auf unser Handy schauen und nicht im Kino sitzen.

Bildcredit: Katharina Swoboda: Stones, 2021, video still

[festivalists]

Innocence Un/Protected

Innocence Un/Protected – quite a motto for the 13th Talents Sarajevo! Yet during the seven years of our partnership with the Talent Press initiative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we can assure you that passion, vigor, and inspiration have stayed intact ♥

In line with the commemorative 25th edition of Sarajevo Film Festival, this year's schedule was packed with masterclasses and noteworthy events featuring high-profile guests. We, too, had two special appearances – the prominent Romanian translator / critic / programmer / CHUCK NORRIS VS COMMUNISM's star Irina Nistor for THE VOICE, THE FILM CRITIC, THE LEGEND and fellow Festivalists contributor / Jugend ohne Film founder / writer / filmmaker / curator Patrick Holzapfel for NOBODY JUST WRITES (ABOUT CINEMA).

And indeed, as you may recall from last year, nobody at Sarajevo Talent Press just writes about cinema. This time Dana Linssen offered an experimental talk or mind walk titled INNOCENCE RE/PROTECTED, in which she touched upon the poetics and politics of images 2.0, also based on her experience as IFFR Critics' Choice co-conspirator. As for our editor Yoana Pavlova – inspired by Dušan Makavejev's 1968 classic, she proposed the (RE)COLLECTION BY OTHER MEANS challenge, the results of which you can see below.

But the SFF film reviews are here as well! Written by five talented youngsters from Southeast Europe and the Southern Caucasus, these texts offer a rich and nuanced insight into the cinema from the region, as well as (hopefully) a glimpse into our critical discussions in Sarajevo that we already miss dearly...

Alexander Gabelia, Georgia

Exchange of opinions and experience as well as critical analysis of different themes – that’s what I’m interested in.

SPIT (2019) dir. Neven Samardžić & Carolina Markowicz – SEE FACTORY → ROUNDS / V KRUG (2019) dir. Stephan Komandarev – Competition Features →

Călin Boto, Romania

As a freelance film critic, I follow the festival circuit closely and do try to understand as much as possible of the apparatus that’s behind it, especially in terms of curating.

THE RIGHT ONE (2019) dir. Urška Djukić & Gabriel Tzafka – SEE FACTORY → DAD (2019) dir. Vladimir Bilenjki – BH Film →

Jovana Gjorgjiovska, North Macedonia

The past year I have been completely devoted to developing Gledaj.mkc.mk and some of the milestones include securing institutional support, publishing our work in major print publications in North Macedonia and getting elected as a jury member for the Best Film Critic contest at the European Film Festival Cinedays 2018.

IN YOUR HANDS (2019) dir. Maša Šarović & Sharon Angelhart – SEE FACTORY → ROUNDS / V KRUG (2019) dir. Stephan Komandarev – Competition Features →

Milica Joksimović, Serbia

I have realized that film criticism has an essential role in the evolution of film as art and I like to think that in my articles I have raised some valid points and also inspired some of the people reading them to give them some thought.

THE SIGN (2019) dir. Eleonora Veninova & Yona Rozenkier – SEE FACTORY → TAKE ME SOMEWHERE NICE (2019) dir. Ena Sendijarević – Competition Features →

Sezen Sayinalp, Turkey

My pieces are generally about characters’ conditions in the society and society’s changes. This is also about past and future relationships, because I try to show that meaning of representation within social structures.

THE PACKAGE (2019) dir. Dušan Kasalica & Teodora Ana Mihai – SEE FACTORY → THE SON / SIN (2019) dir. Ines Tanović – Competition Features →

[in-arts-studio]

Ab Oktober erhältlich https://www.amazon.de/s?hidden-keywords=Tal-der-Skorpione&linkCode=ur2&tag=yrls-21 Endlich das warten hat ein Ende 😊.Danke an das gesamte Team ihr wart toll! Mir hat es aufjedenfall mega Spass gemacht. Prosthetic, sculpted and molded @ingoniedballa Makeup and Design @ingoniedballa @InArtsStudio Makeup Assistent @inesmariepolak #makingof #film #movie #talderskorpione #actor #prosthetic #sfx #makeup #specialmakeupeffects #skinillustrator #application #silicone #design #charrakter #fantasy #makeupartist #mua #maskenbildner NRW Premiere von Tal der Skorpione War ein richtig toller Abend mit euch allen.... @inesmariepolak @Patrick Roy Beckert @Bartholomäus Kowalski @Curd Berger @Thomas Kercmar @Jannik Düren @Max Lorsheijd @Philipp Berka @Nazif Kılıç @Jann Holzapfel @Askim Ali Erdogan @André Gerards @Michael Haras @Fabian Ho @Lenard Kunde @Marion Wölfel @Andre Adkins @Roman Winkels @Sasch Rock Alex Ali https://www.instagram.com/p/By-2hsDInyj/?igshid=1ubb4zp5u9ywk

[goalhofer]

Every Jaime Sifers College/Professional Teammate

University Of Vermont Catamounts

Jeff Miles (2002-04)

Brady Leisenring (2002-06)

Bryson Busniuk (2002--03)

Thomas Hajek (2002-03)

John Longo (2002-03)

Scott Mifsud (2002-04)

Jeff Corey (2002-06)

Ryan Miller (2002-03)

Tim Plant (2002-04)

Baron Becker (2002-06)

Phil Youngclaus (2002-06)

Oriel McHugh (2002-04)

Gerard Miller (2002-04)

Joey Gasparini (2002-06)

Ben Driver (2002-06)

Shawn Conschafter (2002-03)

Derek Wagar (2002-04)

Billy Kelly (12 games 2003)

Greg Zemple (2002-03)

Spencer Morton (11 games 2003-04)

Jason Fortin (20 games 2003)

Chris Smart (2002-04)

Chris Mounsey (15 games 2003-04)

Matt Hanson (7 games 2002-04)

Dustin Corbett (4 games 2003)

Tom Child (2002-04)

Travis Russell (2002-06)

Ryan Gunderson (2003-06)

Evan Stoflet (2003-06)

Chris Myers (2003-06)

Dan Owens (2003-04)

Art Femenella (2003-06)

Tom Collingham (2003-06)

Scott Sortal (8 games 2004)

Torrey Mitchell (2005-06)

Dean Strong (2005-06)

Peter Lenes (2005-06)

Kenny Macaulay (2005-06)

Corey Carlson (2005-06)

Mark Lutz (2005-06)

Matt Syroczynski (2005-06)

Slavomir Tomko (17 games 2006)

Kyle Kuk (2005-06)

Mike Arcieri (20 games 2006)

Andy Corran (2005-06)

Reese Wisnowski (2005-06)

Dan Owens (7 games 2006)

Joe Fallon (2005-06)

Toronto Marlies

Johnny Pohl (2 games 2006)

Bates Battaglia (2 games 2006, 2007-09)

Kris Newbury (2006-09)

Brad Leeb (2006-07)

Jeremy Williams (2006-09)

Brett Engelhardt (2006-07)

Brendan Bell (2 games 2006)

Ian White (2 games 2006)

Colin Murphy (2006-08)

Tyler Beechey (2 games 2006)

Ben Ondrus (2006-09)

Jay Harrison (2 games 2006, 2007-08)

Martin Sagat (2006-07)

John Mitchell (2006-08)

Andy Wozniewski (2006-08)

Carlo Colaiacovo (9 games 2006-08)

Staffan Kronwall (2006-09)

Aleksander Suglobov (2006-07)

Steve Chabbert (2 games 2006)

Roman Kukumberg (2 games 2006)

Marc Moro (2006-07)

Mike Hoffman (2 games 2006)

David Turon (2 games 2006)

Dominic D’Amour (2006-07)

Luke Fulghum (8 games 2006-07)

Brad Brown (2006-07)

Chris St. Jacques (18 games 2006-07)

Jeff Corey (2006-07)

Ian MacNeil (2 games 2006)

Jean-Francois Racine (2006-07)

Alex Foster (2 games 2006, 2007-09)

Todd Ford (9 games 2006-08)

Steven Later (2 games 2006)

Robbie Earl (2006-09)

Derek Landmesser (2 games 2006)

Shaun Landolt (2 games 2006)

Tyson Marsh (3 games 2006-07)

Justin Sawyer (4 games 2006-07)

Jean-Sebastien Aubin (2 games 2006)

J.J. Hunter (9 games 2006)

Kip Brennan (1 game 2006)

Mike Jarmuth (1 game 2006)

Erik Westrum (2006-07)

Chris Harrington (2006-08)

Tyson Nash (2006-07)

Boyd Devereaux (2006-07, 2008-09)

David Cloutier (2006-07)

Karel Pilar (10 games 2007)

Kevin Baker (7 games 2007)

Michael Schutte (10 games 2007)

Owen Fussey (14 games 2007)

David Pszenyczny (4 games 2007)

Justin Pogge (2006-09)

Mac Faulker (3 games 2007)

Mikael Tellqvist (3 games 2007)

Brett Aubin (2007-09)

Jiri Tlusty (2007-09)

Michel Leveille (2007-08)

Phil Oreskovic (2007-09)

David Ling (2007-08)

Derrick Walser (2007-08)

Reid Cashman (17 games 2007-08)

Nathan Perrott (8 games 2007-08)

Darryl Boyce (2007-09)

Bryan Muir (2007-08)

Anton Stralman (2007-09)

Tyler Doig (2007-09)

Peter Tsimikalis (2007-08)

Simon Gamache (19 games 2008)

Patrick Wellar (2007-08)

Tony Salmelainen (2 games 2008)

Scott Clemmensen (2007-08)

Dale Mitchell (2 games 2008)

Jeff Miles (1 game 2008)

Matt Grennier (7 games 2008)

Stefano Giliati (2008-09)

Kyle Rogers (2008-09)

Max Taylor (2008-09)

Todd Perry (2008-09)

Tim Stapleton (2008-09)

Mark Bell (2008-09)

Andre Deveaux (2008-09)

Richard Petiot (2008-09)

Ryan Hamilton (2008-09)

Joey Ryan (2008-09)

Juha Uotila (2008-09)

Josef Boumedienne (19 games 2009)

Andrew Martens (19 games 2009)

Josh Engel (2008-09)

Andy Schneider (2008-09)

James Reimer (3 games 2009)

Ashton Rome (7 games 2009)

Jonas Frogren (3 games 2009)

Viktor Stalberg (2 games 2009)

Andy Rogers (3 games 2009)

Jeremy Swanson (3 games 2009)

Nikolay Kulemin (5 games 2009)

Alex Berry (8 games 2009)

Rob LaLonde (9 games 2009)

Adam Munro (2008-09)

Toronto Maple Leafs

Jason Blake (2008-09)

Andre Deveaux (2008-09)

Boyd Devereaux (2008-09)

Jeff Finger (2008-09)

Jonas Frogren (2008-09)

Martin Gerber (2008-09)

Michail Hrabouski (2008-09)

Niklas Hagman (2008-09)

Jeff Hamilton (15 games 2009)

Christian Hanson (5 games 2009)

Jay Harrison (2008-09)

Curtis Joseph (2008-09)

Tomas Kaberle (2008-09)

Pavel Kubina (2008-09)

Nikolay Kulemin (2008-09)

Brad May (2008-09)

Jamal Mayers (2008-09)

John Mitchell (2008-09)

Phil Oreskovic (10 games 2009)

Justin Pogge (2008-09)

Oleksiy Ponikarovsky (2008-09)

Luke Schenn (2008-09)

Matt Stajan (2008-09)

Lee Stempniak (2008-09)

Vesa Toskala (2008-09)

Mike Van Ryn (2008-09)

Ian White (2008-09)

Minnesota Wild

Cody Almond (14 games 2009)

Niklas Backstrom (14 games 2009)

Cam Barker (14 games 2009)

Derek Boogaard (14 games 2009)

Kyle Brodziak (14 games 2009)

Andrew Brunette (14 games 2009)

Brent Burns (14 games 2009)

Cal Clutterbuck (14 games 2009)

Wade Dubielewicz (14 games 2009)

Robbie Earl (14 games 2009)

Andrew Ebbett (14 games 2009)

Josh Harding (14 games 2009)

Martin Havlat (14 games 2009)

Shane Hnidy (14 games 2009)

Petr Kalus (14 games 2009)

Chuck Kobasew (14 games 2009)

Mikko Koivu (14 games 2009)

Guillaume Latendresse (14 games 2009)

Antti Miettinen (14 games 2009)

Owen Nolan (14 games 2009)

Nate Prosser (14 games 2009)

Nick Schultz (14 games 2009)

John Scott (14 games 2009)

James Sheppard (14 games 2009)

Clayton Stoner (14 games 2009)

Casey Wellman (14 games 2009)

Greg Zanon (14 games 2009)

Marek Zidlicky (14 games 2009)

Houston Aeros

Jean-Michel Daoust (2009-10)

Jon DiSalvatore (2009-10)

Maxim Noreau (2009-10)

Chad Rau (2009-10)

Nathan Smith (2009-10)

Duncan Milroy (2009-10)

Danny Irmen (2009-10)

Andy Hilbert (2009-10)

Ryan Gunderson (2009-10)

Petr Kalus (2009-10)

Jamie Fraser (2009-10)

Colton Gillies (2009-10)

Robbie Earl (2009-10)

Cody Almond (2009-10)

Peter Zingoni (2009-10)

Clayton Stoner (2009-10)

Justin Falk (2009-10)

Carson McMillan (2009-10)

Brandon Rogers (2009-10)

J.P. Testwuide (2009-10)

Matt Kassian (2009-10)

Tony Hrkac (2009-10)

Brandon Buck (2009-10)

Ryan Lannon (2009-10)

Trent Campbell (3 games 2010)

Craig Weller (5 games 2009)

Marco Scandella (7 games 2010)

Barry Brust (2009-10)

Anton Khudobin (2009-10)

Ryan Nie (1 game 2010)

Matt Pierce (1 game 2010)

Ross Rouleau (1 game 2010)

Dylan Hunter (1 game 2009)

Matt Fornataro (1 game 2009)

Brock Sheahan (1 game 2010)

Brandon Straub (2 games 2010)

Darcy Kuemper (3 games 2010)

Wade Dubielewicz (2009-10)

Chicago Wolves

Jason Krog (2010-11)

Darren Haydar (2010-11)

Jared Ross (2010-11)

Spencer Machacek (2010-11)

Andre Deveaux (2010-11)

Paul Postma (2010-11)

Nigel Dawes (2010-11)

Ryan Garbutt (2010-11)

Mark Matheson (2010-11)

Fredrik Pettersson (2010-11)

Riley Holzapfel (2010-11)

Tim Miller (2010-11)

Michael Davies (2010-11)

Arturs Kulda (2010-11)

Mike Siklenka (2010-11)

Andrey Zubarev (2010-11)

Angelo Esposito (2010-11)

Noah Welch (2010-11)

Andrew Kozek (2010-11)

Akim Aliu (2010-11)

Boris Valabik (2010-11)

Jamie Hunt (2010-11)

Patrice Cormier (11 games 2010)

Tim Stapleton (4 games 2011)

Peter Mannino (2010-11)

Sergio Somma (5 games 2011)

Michael Forney (9 games 2011)

Eddie Pasquale (2010-11)

Patrick Rissmiller (6 games 2010)

Carl Klingberg (8 games 2011)

Kip Brennan (12 games 2011)

Ben Maxwell (2 games 2011)

Josh Godfrey (4 games 2011)

Patrick Galivan (5 games 2011)

Adam Huxley (18 games 2011)

Drew MacIntyre (20 games 2010)

Matt Krug (1 game 2011)

Chris Carrozzi (1 game 2011)

Dave Phillips (1 game 2010)

Ondrej Pavelec (1 game 2011)

Alan Dorich (1 game 2011)

Will Colbert (2 games 2011)

Ian McKenzie (2 games 2011)

Jack Combs (3 games 2011)

Zach Redmond (3 games 2011)

Brett Festerling (5 games 2011)

Adler Mannheim

Adam Mitchell (2011-13)

Chris Lee (2011-12)

Yanick Lehoux (2011-14)

Mike Glumac (2011-13)

Ken Magowan (2011-14)

Christoph Ullmann (2011-14)

Ronny Arendt (2011-14)

Frank Mauer (2011-14)

Yannic Seidenberg (2011-13)

Marcus Kink (2011-14)

Craig MacDonald (2011-13)

Steve Wagner (2011-14)

Nikolai Goc (2011-14)

Niko Dimitrakos (2011-12)

Shawn Belle (2011-13)

Matthias Plachta (2011-14)

Denis Reul (2011-14)

Marc El-Sayed (2011-14)

Florian Kettemer (2011-14)

Felix Brueckmann (2011-14)

Fred Brathwaite (2011-12)

Steven Bar (12 games 2012)

Richard Gelke (13 games 2012)

Dennis Seidenberg (2012-13)

Marcel Goc (2012-13)

Jochen Hecht (2012-14)

Jason Pominville (7 games 2012-13)

Doug Janik (2012-13)

Mirko Hofflin (2012-14)

Alex Foster (10 games 2012)

Dominik Bittner (2012-14)

Dennis Endras (2012-14)

Simon Gamache (2013-14)

Jon Rheault (2013-14)

Martin Buchweiser (2013-14)

Mike Vernace (2013-14)

Kai Hospelt (2013-14)

Eric Schneider (8 games 2014)

Christopher Fischer (2013-14)

Dorian Saeftel (1 game 2014)

Tobias Kircher (1 game 2014)

Alexander Ackermann (7 games 2014)

Springfield Falcons

T.J. Tynan (2014-15)

Ryan Craig (2014-15)

Sean Collins (2014-15)

Austin Madaisky (2014-15)

Kerby Rychel (2014-15)

Dana Tyrell (2014-15)

Luke Adam (2014-15)

Michael Chaput (2014-15)

Frederic St. Denis (2014-15)

Marko Dano (2014-15)

Mike Hoeffel (2014-15)

Josh Anderson (2014-15)

Thomas Larkin (2014-15)

Trent Vogelhuber (2014-15)

Lukas Sedlak (2014-15)

Domenic Monardo (2014-15)

Brian Gibbons (2014-15)

Denny Urban (2014-15)

Corey Cowick (2014-15)

Hubert Labrie (2014-15)

Adam Cracknell (18 games 2015)

Jerry D’Amigo (2014-15)

Frank Milano (10 games 2015)

Nathan Oystrick (12 games 2015)

Brett Ponich (2014-15)

Andrew Chirniwchan (12 games 2015)

Alexander Wennberg (6 games 2015)

Mike Little (3 games 2015)

Mike Cornell (11 games 2014)

Yann Sauve (17 games 2015)

Derek Docken (6 games 2015)

Mathieu Gagnon (20 games 2015)

Dillon Heatherington (3 games 2015)

Steve Weinstein (3 games 2015)

Rick Pinkston (6 games 2015)

Will Weber (2014-15)

Steven Shamanski (1 game 2015)

Riley Wetmore (1 game 2015)

Tyler Sikura (2 games 2015)

Joonas Korpisalo (3 games 2015)

Steve McCarthy (3 games 2014)

Matthew Zay (3 games 2014)

Patrick Cullity (3 games 2015)

Cody Goloubef (3 games 2015)

Seth Ambroz (4 games 2015)

James Livingston (6 games 2015)

William Karlsson (15 games 2015)

Oscar Dansk (2014-15)

Scott Munroe (2014-15)

Anton Forsberg (2014-15)

Lake Erie/Cleveland Monsters

T.J. Tynan (2015-17)

Michael Chaput (2015-16)

Daniel Zaar (2015-17)

Josh Anderson (2015-16)

Alex Broadhurst (2015-17)

Frank Milano (2015-17)

Oliver Bjorkstrand (2015-17)

Trent Vogelhuber (2015-16)

John Ramage (2015-17)

Kerby Rychel (2015-16)

Michael Paliotta (2015-16)

Ryan Craig (2015-17)

Markus Hannikainen (2015-17)

Dillon Heatherington (2015-17)

Lukas Sedlak (2015-16)

Steve Eminger (2015-16)

Dean Kukan (2015-17)

Nick Moutrey (2015-17)

Justin Falk (2015-16)

Andrew Bodnarchuk (14 games 2016)

Manny Malhotra (2015-16)

Mark Cundari (7 games 2016)

Derek Deblois (2015-16)

Eric Roy (10 games 2016)

Aleh Yevenka (2015-17)

Zach Werenski (2015-16)

Steve Weinstein (4 games 2016)

Steve McCarthy (17 games 2016)

Anton Forsberg (2015-17)

Brett Gallant (2015-17)

Austin Madaisky (1 game 2016)

Peter Quenneville (1 game 2016)

Vinny Saponari (1 game 2016)

Austin Farley (2 games 2016)

Seth Ambroz (3 games 2016)

Blake Tatchell (5 games 2016)

Jan Hejda (11 games 2016)

Joonas Korpisalo (2015-17)

Paul Bittner (2016-17)

Joe Devlin (2016-17)

Brad Thiessen (2015-17)

Justin Scott (2016-17)

Jordan Maletta (2016-17)

Joe Pendenza (2016-17)

Zac Dalpe (20 games 2017)

Marc-Andre Bergeron (2016-17)

Aaron Palushaj (2016-17)

Ryan Stanton (2016-17)

Cody Goloubef (16 games 2016)

Blake Siebenaler (2016-17)

Alex Petan (14 games 2017)

Akim Aliu (13 games 2017)

Sam Vigneault (16 games 2017)

Vitalii Abramov (4 games 2017)

Kyle Thomas (12 games 2017)

Jacob Graves (19 games 2017)

Dalton Prout (7 games 2017)

Dante Salituro (5 games 2017)

Shawn Szydlowski (7 games 2017)

Miles Koules (7 games 2017)

Gabriel Carlsson (3 games 2017)

Frank Hora (3 games 2017)

Ryan Collins (5 games 2017)

Sheldon Brookbank (6 games 2017)

Michael Houser (1 game 2017)

Kole Sherwood (2 games 2017)

Scott Harrington (2 games 2017)

Keith Aulie (3 games 2016)

Scott Savage (3 games 2017)

Mike Brown (11 games 2017)

Utica Comets

Reid Boucher (2017-19)

Michael Chaput (2017-18)

Patrick Wiercioch (2017-18)

Zack MacEwen (2017-19)

Nikolay Goldobin (2017-18)

Philip Holm (2017-18)

Michael Carcone (2017-19)

Cole Cassels (2017-18)

Cameron Darcy (2017-19)

Wacey Hamilton (2017-19)

Alex D’Aoust (2017-18)

Guillaume Brisebois (2017-18)

Adam Comrie (2017-18)

Carter Bancks (2017-19)

Darren Archibald (2017-18)

Dylan Blujus (2017-19)

Jayson Megna (2017-18)

Ashton Sautner (2017-18)

Joe Labate (2017-18)

Andrew Chirniwchan (2017-18)

Griffen Molino (2017-18)

Tony Cameranesi (2017-18)

Evan McEneny (2017-19)

Tanner MacMaster (2017-18)

Jalen Chatfield (2017-19)

David Dziurzynski (2017-18)

Jordan Subban (16 games 2018)

Frankie Simonelli (9 games 2018)

Zac Lynch (8 games 2018)

Marco Roy (6 games 2018)

Anton Rodin (7 games 2018)

Justin Taylor (2 games 2018)

Willie Corrin (2 games 2018)

Matt Leitner (5 games 2018)

Joe Faust (2 games 2018)

Mathieu Brodeur (4 games 2018)

Yan-Pavel Laplante (5 games 2018)

Cliff Watson (6 games 2017)

Richard Bachman (2017-19)

Thatcher Demko (2017-18)

Joel Lowry (1 game 2017)

Justin Hamonic (1 game 2018)

Brian Ward (1 game 2017)

Aaron Irving (1 game 2018)

Caleb Herbert (1 game 2018)

Mackenzie Stewart (2 games 2018)

Nolan Valleau (5 games 2018)

Brady Brassart (9 games 2018)

Danny Moynihan (11 games 2018)

Anton Cederholm (12 games 2018)

Lukas Jasek (2018-19)

Brendan Woods (2018-19)

Brendan Gaunce (2018-19)

Jonathan Dahlen (2018-19)

Vincent Arseneau (2018-19)

Tyler Motte (2018-19)

Kole Lind (2018-19)

Brandon Anselmini (2018-19)

Vincent Arseneau (2018-19)

Mitch Eliot (2018-19)

Jonah Gadjovich (2018-19)

Reid Gardiner (2018-19)

Jesse Graham (2018-19)

Olli Juolevi (2018-19)

Tanner Kero (2018-19)

Ivan Kulbakov (2018-19)

Stefan LeBlanc (2018-19)

Michael Leighton (2018-19)

Marek Mazanec (2018-19)

Tom Pyatt (2018-19)

Kyle Thomas (2018-19)

Aaron Throw (2018-19)

Mitchell Vanderlaan (2018-19)

[str9led]

Dreadnought Teaser from Aixsponza on Vimeo.

Grifter, bring on two megatons of polygons! Square kilometers of 3d landscapes, engine exhaust, explosions and fierce weapons in all their metallic close up glory build up the tension in this flight to destruction. Only to be conquered by something even bigger.

for Greybox, SixFoot & Yager Executive Creative Direction: Filip Lange Creative Direction: Kay Tennemann VFX Supervisor / TD: Manuel Casasola Merkle Producer: Julian Fischer Modeling: Marcel Dolschon, Lars Korb, Jörg Vogel, Patrick Hecht Texturing / Shading: Lars Korb, Raphael Rau Environment: Manuel Casasola Merkle, Fabian Hofmann SceneSetup & Lighting: Marcel Dolschon, Philipp Strasser, Jörg Vogel, Patrick Hecht, Kay Tennemann VFX: Fuat Yüksel, Simon Fiedler Compositing: Peter Balicki, Filip Lange Additional UI Design: Julian Fleck Yager Game Direction: Peter Holzapfel, Mathias Wiese Yager Production: Rudolf D. Klumpp, Mark Liebold Yager Sound Design: Alexander Marian, Julien Herion

[sebbram]

Jugend ohne Film, 24 March 2019

"Ein „Hanging-Out-Film“ in Reinkultur.”

Patrick Holzapfel, Jugend ohne Film on Movements of a Nearby Mountain

[iami0]

DREADNOUGHT Teaser from Simon Fiedler on Vimeo.

A few months ago, i had the great pleasure to join Aixsponza again for the wet dream of every 3D artist. We worked on a teaser for the scifi-spaceship-lasercanon-warpjump game DREADNOUGHT. My task was mainly the warpjump scene and some tiny other shots. A mixed bag of TFD, XParticles, TP and Krakatoa made that project a lot of fun.

CREDITS: Executive Creative Direction: Filip Lange Creative Direction: Kay Tennemann VFX Supervisor / TD: Manuel Casasola Merkle Producer: Julian Fischer Modeling: Marcel Dolschon, Lars Korb, Jörg Vogel, Patrick Hecht Texturing / Shading: Lars Korb, Raphael Rau Environment: Manuel Casasola Merkle, Fabian Hofmann SceneSetup & Lighting: Marcel Dolschon, Philipp Strasser, Jörg Vogel, Patrick Hecht, Kay Tennemann VFX: Fuat Yüksel, Simon Fiedler Compositing: Peter Balicki, Filip Lange Additional UI Design: Julian Fleck Yager Game Direction: Peter Holzapfel, Mathias Wiese Yager Production: Rudolf D. Klumpp, Mark Liebold Yager Sound Design: Alexander Marian, Julien Herion

[immer-anders]

Patrick Holzapfel stellte 2014 auf screenanarchy fest:

“No one can seriously doubt that there is a black hole in German cinema. This black hole comes, among other things, from a lack of interest and awareness in film as such with all its history, languages and forms....”

Im Interview erklärt Julian Radlmaier, der Schöpfer des Schwarzen Loches in “Ein proletarisches Wintermärchen”:

"We decided to go for the black hole. More and more we emphasized it and in the end there was the idea that the hole tells the story of the film. It works visually as you have the feeling that all bodies refer to this hole in the center of the frame. The hole becomes something like the negative mirror image of the camera lens. The hole of the shot wanders into the space and the hole where the light gets in is the narrator. And as the film is about telling stories and the question how you can translate that into your own life it just matched. The hole was the origin of the fiction and at the same time something opaque. It is open and opaque at the same time and this is a metaphor for what we tried to narrate with our film...”

[in-arts-studio]

Endlich das warten hat ein Ende 😊.Danke an das gesamte Team ihr wart toll! Mir hat es aufjedenfall mega Spass gemacht. Prosthetic, sculpted and molded @ingoniedballa Makeup and Design @ingoniedballa @InArtsStudio Makeup Assistent @inesmariepolak #makingof #film #movie #talderskorpione #actor #prosthetic #sfx #makeup #specialmakeupeffects #ppi #skinillustrator #application #silicone #design #charrakter #fantasy #makeupartist #mua #maskenbildner #maskenbildnerweiterbildung #maskenbildnerkurs #schminken #maskenbildnerei #workshop #kurse NRW Premiere von Tal der Skorpione War ein richtig toller Abend mit euch allen.... @inesmariepolak @Patrick Roy Beckert @Bartholomäus Kowalski @Curd Berger @Thomas Kercmar @Jannik Düren @Max Lorsheijd @Philipp Berka @Nazif Kılıç @Jann Holzapfel @Askim Ali Erdogan @André Gerards @Michael Haras @Fabian Ho @Lenard Kunde @Marion Wölfel @Andre Adkins @Roman Winkels @Sasch Rock Alex A https://www.instagram.com/p/BzIYtfxodhY/?igshid=hez6e9ok97zx

[festivalists]

In the mood for Transylvania

With the Romanian TIFF slowly but surely emerging as a must stop for every film professional, not just for the ones curious about local cinema, we are happy to offer you Patrick Holzapfel's notes on the contemplative week he spent in Transylvania. Just like last year, he shares his experience entering the cinephilia space-time continuum, only this time peeking far beyond the snows of Sieranevada.

It is odd to be writing again. I wonder how one can come back to a place one has been before, as the same or a different person, watching the same or different films. How often do we have to come to a place until the memories connected with it become real again? Festivals in general give the impression of being always changing, while they seem to be the same from year to year. Cluj-Napoca, it was again. The huge Transylvania International Film Festival which would once again prove that you do not need many cinemas to project films.

I have seen it, and like last year it greeted me with rain and sticky weather. Like with so many festivals, the trip is part of the experience. Especially when being able to do it by car. Why? Well, because you might win a spring screen wash for your car at a Romanian gas station (I asked “Why did I win?” and the answer “Because you tank!”), or you can witness a dog not only running on the street in front of cars but doing it in circles in a roundabout. Moreover, for the first time in my life I had to pass through a mudslide while a policeman was observing it and shrugging his shoulders. In my imagination, I was swept away from the mud. Then I arrived in Cluj-Napoca with my muddy car. I was very happy to own a spring screen wash. From my hotel room I could see the whole town. Traces of the sun behind the clouds.

Why do I write about these matters that do not seem to be related to cinema? It is because I think they are related to cinema. Traveling to a foreign country is always about comparing it to images one has of it. In terms of cinema, this means you can see who is a “documentary filmmaker” and who does not care about the real world. Documentary filmmakers, like Christian Petzold, Thomas Heise, or Angela Schanelec in Germany, give an image of a country that holds true when you travel there. There is something you know about a country without ever having been there. Something cinema knows. It is not facts but sensibilities, and it is memories becoming material. In the case of Romania, it seemed to me again, the absurdities are very well depicted by cinema, the beauty and poetry are not.

However, I know of someone who would have jumped right into the mudslide: Buster Keaton. I decided to open my personal festival with him as the war – a so-called cine-concert with Diallèle accompanying THE GENERAL (1926). The musical trio with its wreaking sounds focussed on the idea of movement in the film as opposed to the idea of gags. It is an approach that works particularly well with THE GENERAL, because the speed of the film is its oxygen. Oh, this cross-cutting splendor. The music was taking the side of the machines, not of Keaton. Due to that, the actor seemed even more out of place than he is anyway. It was a rather nice way to start the festival even if the digital copy seemed to be a Blu-Ray (maybe it was that was just the bad quality of projection in the Student's Culture House, but it certainly was not projected from film).

Some thoughts on silence. There was very little of it in the theatres here in Cluj-Napoca. It was a cell phone paradise. Nobody seemed to bother. Sounds and lights everywhere. Is it too much for a festival to ask people to shut down their mobiles during screenings?

Another silence gone – Šarūnas Bartas. His cinema tells the story of a frustration, the frustration with words. Whereas in his first works he stunningly avoided them, now he has become some sort of prophet of the non-speaking. It is a paradox, though, as his characters talk a lot about not-talking. But his latest film FROST (2017) is much more than that. It is a journey into questions about the inability of touching and the impossibility of truth. Nevertheless, what remains is the absence of silence. Yet, silence is resistance as it is shown in Jean-Pierre Melville’s beautiful and cruel THE SILENCE OF THE SEA / LE SILENCE DE LA MER (1949), part of the director's retrospective at the festival. In the first row a young lady was sitting with a laptop as a live-subtitling device. The light of that screen (why does she have to sit there?) were louder than the words of the film.

I had to face it: Cluj was loud and joyous again. It was not a cathedral of cinema, nothing holy here, just people enjoying cinema. In the festival trailer, a guy eats cabbage and afterwards an alien-like creature bursts out of his stomach.

So, in the morning I sat down in a park close to my hotel. There were some ducks here, an old lady was picking leaves from the trees, many lovers here, they did what lovers do. It was almost silent. I tried to think about what I had been seeing so far: a lot of noise, some silence.

Interlude. What it takes to show films in Cluj-Napoca, present them as a big event, and pay for hotel rooms for people like me:

Drink some Staropramen or Sâmburești wine, pay for it with your Mastercard, or get some money at Raiffeisen Bank. That is how your day should start. While you are at it, go to McDonald's, they even have a parking spot where you can put your Mercedes, baby. At McDonald's they show HBO, or TV5Monde should you prefer French. After eating a cheeseburger and having beautiful talks about the arts with representatives of the Ministry of Culture as well as some big shots from Creative Europe, you can fill in some gas at a MOL. It is easy, and you are also doing something for the culture, as they faithfully tell you in their commercial. Maybe some Nespresso for take-away. However, please be careful and wash your clothes only with Persil. I can not bare any other detergent.

And don’t forget to write to me. You can use DHL. You can also add the beautiful images you made with your Nikon. I could digitize them and watch them on my brand new BenQ LCD monitor. You could also send them digitally. Don’t you own a Samsung mobile phone that makes even better images? You could also call me with it. Internet should not be a problem with UPC. Neither is light with E.ON, neither is water supply with Water Coman SOMEŞ S.A. I guess you have everything you need? If there is anything you miss, you can also go to M@dd Electronics.

On Romanian TV they said “I love Cluj!” The ambassadors and other inspiring people from the world of institutes are also there. I could see them walk on television. Don’t hesitate to drink some Jameson Irish Whiskey with them. They are nice. Don’t drink too much. I heard AQUA Carpatica is better for your health. Maybe when you become friends with them you can also buy a Tenaris pipeline together. There was a James Bond film with Pierce Brosnan where they had lots of fun in such a pipeline. If you want to feel more beautiful, I recommend Avon, it is “the company for women.” Should anthing happen in the pipeline, or anywhere else, Aegon will be there for you.

Cinema, I’m lovin’ it.

The emptiness of the Ethnographic Museum in Cluj-Napoca reminded me of an absence. It is not an absence that is connected with something or someone in particular, but one of those absences one feels in the soul while looking at things. As I walked through a building that contained the peasant history of the region in instruments, clothes, and decor, everything seemed to be so touchable and so far away. In a brave and weak second, I could not resist – though it was forbidden, I put my finger on one of these dresses, feeling the colors under my fingertips, the material with my skin, yet, the history seemed gone. A peculiar sensation that even got stronger when I felt that looking at huge photographies of people actually wearing those clothes, or working with those instruments, spoke a lot more to me than the touch. Is this, I asked myself, the price you pay for watching too many movies, or just for living in this world? The images showed eyes of people looking into the camera, there was joy and poverty, struggle and beauty. They were stronger, in a way even more present than the objects. I could only understand the weight of these instruments, their function, and beauty while I was looking at the photographs. As if I was blind for the real thing. However, I was wondering, what is real about those instruments and clothes without people?

After a dream, I woke up to a screening of CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’ / NESFÂRŞIT (2007) by Cristian Nemescu, a film I had known already and loved. It was presented as a tragic and sad anniversary screening. Sad because director Nemescu died in a car crash while working on the post-production of this film. It tells the story of a meeting between a Romanian village and American soldiers passing through. It is at the same time a political statement, a light and romantic comedy, a coming-of-age film, a drama, a western, and an exploration about different forms of resistance. Due to rain and other issues, the screening started at midnight. So in the middle of the night, all the leaves were brown, and the sky was grey. It was uplifting and deeply touching at the same time. Again, I was wondering what spoke to me so much in this film. Is it finding oneself in those images, narratives? Is it really all about identification? I am not happy with it, I did not want to go to cinema to see myself on the screen.

As it is asked in the Golden Bear winner ON BODY AND SOUL / TESTRŐL ÉS LÉLEKRŐL (2017) by Ildikó Enyedi, what happens if two people see the same image, maybe look into the same mirror in a dream? Do they maybe become blind for the real thing, or do they only project themselves on the dreams of another person?

It was a day without structure. Cinema swallowed memories.

The Romanian Days had started. This line-up is the festival's flagship, because Romanian cinema keeps being exciting. I watched new films by Adrian Sitaru and Călin Peter Netzer, as well as many average to bad shorts. Sitaru’s latest offers a moral dilemma deeply concerned with the ethics of journalism and image-making. When you try to make people who suffered unjustly speak, and you know that the act of speaking makes them suffer, what do you do?

It reminded me of a note in one of my old notebooks: “Is filming stealing (time)?”

The issue of realism in Romanian cinema has been discussed on (too) many occasions. Yet, it catches the eye how certain ways of camera movement, color grading, or sound design are not connected to moral positions anymore. They are mere style. Due to that, every little change from what one seems to know comes like a surprise. There are not many surprises.

In the morning, the cleaning lady of my hotel took away my card, she came back and gave it to me. While arriving at my room late in the evening, the card did not work. I went to the desk, and they gave me another card, telling me the one I had was for a different room. I like the idea of a hotel where people have to find their room, because the cards / keys do not tell. I was sleeping in the wrong bed, maybe, like a baby that was given to another mother.

Flowers in the Japanese Gardens, some ducks searching for cover under a sunlit bridge, children screaming and scaring away the flowers. The flowers can not run. Yet they whisper to each other about hiding. Leaves falling to the ground, searching for a shadow. Someone let a tree die, here. It looks beautiful. The Botanical Garden in Cluj-Napoca is truly magnificent. I went there in order to hide, to look at water lilies reflecting suns.

Later I was going to see one of my favorite flowers in last year’s cinema – the one the protagonist is holding lovingly, moribundly close to his chest in Radu Jude’s SCARRED HEARTS / INIMI CICATRIZATE (2016). He is on his way to his love, he wants to give it to her. He bids farewell to the world and tries to live in it for the last breathe close to the sea. He is blooming but still dying. It is a film that exceeds wrinkles of suffering and instead gives an approach to death that consists of anger, desperation, and beauty. It is also concerned with the gap opening between what is said and seen, what is hidden and embraced by history and those writing it. Since I have seen it, I want to read Max Blecher’s writings. The film is based on his life and takes from his novels. I started reading his novel with a title that seems rather fittingly for my festival endeavors, Adventures in Immediate Irreality.

How an attempt concerned with history and its perception can be done rather clumsily showed CAMERA OBSCURA (2016), a documentary on cine-clubs during Ceaușescu that had above all a terrible soundtrack. It showed people telling redundantly their memories. In the end, it communicated its very clear message in titles – these cine-clubs are looked at as if they were pure propaganda instruments but they were much more and harm was done to their essential documentation of communist life in Romania during and after the Revolution. What is to be done with those films that only consist of what they talk about?

The flowers in the Botanical Garden had no messages. So before the screening of the not quite fantastic but decent A FANTASTIC WOMAN / UNA MUJER FANTÁSTICA (2017), I returned there. But all the flowers were in hiding. They were telling me, like Gustave Courbet, that we can only see what gets lit from the sun. I don't know... a festival can be such a sun, can't it? However, I am wondering, what if a sun chooses where to shine on?

There was more shadow than light on my last day in Cluj-Napoca. Nevertheless, I could see more than in the previous days.

Part of the bright shadows came from the long-buried Romanian classic THE ONE HUNDRED BILL / 100 DE LEI (1973) by Mircea Săucan. The film was shown in a newly restored copy that was so black and so white that Philippe Garrel, wherever he was, must have felt an itching in his left eye while watching it. Fittingly, it tells a rather dark story about two brothers, one a successful actor, the other – a drifter. They fall for the same girl but the film is, again, about more than that. It is about the unreality of dependency. The sound seems to be miles away from the image. People talk, yes, but the post-production voices are not meant to stick to the reality of the image. Instead they project themselves onto something which we know from being too late, a sensation close to an echo or something that resonates in a desire to be somewhere else. It is a bizarre and hypnotic film that must be watched again. It was followed by Radu Jude’s latest documentary THE DEAD NATION / ŢARA MOARTĂ (2017), which consists entirely of photographs and found-footage voice-over, telling or not telling about the history of anti-semitism in Romania during at the time of WWII. So, after all those flowers and doubts, cinema got me back when it started to open gaps between what we can and can’t see.

My week in Transylvania ends here. After a festival there is much to tell. It always struck me as funny to travel in order to sit through something that basically feels the same everywhere yet makes you travel again. It is like a double exposure of traveling. During a festival, we are at many places at the same time. One can keep the city or cinema at a distance. So, the sensation of memories intertwining with visits to places and films will always be distorted. It is highly dependent on the rhythm. TIFF has the rhythm of too much, too fast. Still, sometimes such an overdose allows for sudden freedom. It is like when Bresson wrote that the sound-film invented silence – a festival like this might remind us the true value of a single film and the time we spend with it. Curating at TIFF is looked at from the perspective of offering, bringing something, maybe everything. It is not about taste, morals, or values, it is about the market.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, though, because it might work and be understood like a convention for world cinema in Romania. Rarely have I visited a festival where so much is done to include the town and even its surroundings into the programming and the event as such. It feels like everything breathes TIFF, and the young audience shows that such an attitude can give the impression of cinema being alive. There is no possibility you have not heard of TIFF if you are local. Some beautiful encounters and impressions derive from such a presence.

However, the question remains if it is cinema that is alive or the event it is engraved in. Cluj-Napoca once again proved to be an island where such doubts feel out of place. It quite clearly tells people to have fun, to celebrate, not to repine. Considering developments in the Romanian industry bureaucracy, such a place is clearly needed and embraced by many. The festival is young, it wants to break with certain patterns, it is moving on where others hesitate. It looks bravely and sometimes blindly into the future. The beautiful thing about this is that it creates enthusiasm, the bad thing is that it does not ask you to look, it does not tell you anything about cinema as a festival. With this I mean there is no idea of how to look at films, how to project films, how to discuss films, or how to program films.

But don’t think too much. Take a # and dance me to the future of cinema.

If you are a film industry professional, you can watch films from Transylvania IFF on Festival Scope.