- Occupation
Director - Country
Switzerland
Cattin Antoine
Liouba escaped from her violent husband with all her 9 children. She raises them along with her daughter Alesia on a farm in Russia where they both work. They devote all their overwhelming love to their maternal instincts. They take in a hungry little boy, three-year old Sacha, the son of another girl working on the farm. Liouba and Alesia belong to those people who sacrifice themselves in the name of their love. Liouba and especially Alesia are still hoping to find a good husband. So the search for a husband ends up in a struggle to kick out a parasite. Antoine Cattin is born in 1975 in Saignelégier. In 2001 he receives degree from the University of Lausanne. Worked in Russia as assistant director to S. Loznitsa. Filmography: ‘The Mother’ (2007 ), ‘Vivre en paix ‘ (2004), ‘Transformator’ (2003) – all as co-director, all documentaries.
Living in Peace
The war has been going on in Chechnya since December 11th, 1994. Sultan's wife was killed and his house was destroyed. With his son Apti, he escaped to the Russian countryside where he is trying to start a new life. If the father can keep his integrity till the end, what will happen to his son, a young Chechen refugee on the enemy's territory? Should he become friend with the young Russian going to war to Chechnya? Try to integrate in a society with no future and rejecting him, or go back to his country destroyed by war?
The Transformer
On the way from Moscow to St.-Petersburg a huge electrical transformer fell off the truck. For 3 never ending months the hero has to watch over that 250 tons giant.
Playback
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. [KVIFF]
Vladimir Putin's new presidential term began in May 2012. Six months before that Putin's stability has expired. All central places of Moscow became the eyes of the political maelstrom. We record the thoughts and emotions of the protest leaders. We want to understand where they lead us.