- Occupation
Director - Country
France
Gianelli-Meriano Raphaël
The Kaplinski System
Two friends, one a French photographer and filmmaker, the other a famous Estonian thinker and poet. Two people from two different generations, but a great friendship. For several weeks, Räphael Gianelli-Meriano filmed Jaan Kaplinski’s everyday life at his house in the countryside, in his domestic context. Jaan Kaplinski is an appreciated literary figure. His poems have been translated into twenty different languages and are read on every continent. He has often been nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Raphäel Gianelli-Meriano loves Estonia and he realized many films and a photographic work about the Estonian country. This film is a reflection on the role of a contemporary poet, on nature as he sees it and the current place of poetry in our world.
Two friends, one a French photographer and filmmaker, the other a famous Estonian thinker and poet. Two people from two different generations, but a great friendship. For several weeks, Räphael Gianelli-Meriano filmed Jaan Kaplinski’s everyday life at his house in the countryside, in his domestic context. Jaan Kaplinski is an appreciated literary figure. His poems have been translated into twenty different languages and are read on every continent. He has often been nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Raphäel Gianelli-Meriano loves Estonia and he realized many films and a photographic work about the Estonian country. This film is a reflection on the role of a contemporary poet, on nature as he sees it and the current place of poetry in our world.
Born in Valence, France, 1977.
Lives and works between Paris and Berlin.
Raphaël Gianelli-Meriano studied the violin at the National Music School of Valence then after graduating in sciences he studied Cinema at Montpellier University of Literature.
In 2002, he moved to Paris and made his first journey to Estonia.
This is the beginning of more than a dozen of trips to Estonia, various collaborations with artists, filmmakers (Kinobuss project, Tallinn Film Festival, Tartu Art College lectures) which provides the material for the photo book ABOUT ESTONIA. Published and printed in Estonia in 2004, ABOUT ESTONIA was presented at the Black Nights Film Festival in Tallinn, at colette shop in Paris in 2005 and Grand OFR book shop in London in 2006.
He starts working for magazines and newspaper among which are Libération, French, Redux, Beaux Arts, Jalouse, Ei8ht, Eyemazing, Purple Fashion…etc.
Aside photography, with Stéphane Guyonnet (designer of About Estonia) and Marie-Sophie Eiché (Head of Kamel Mennour Gallery), he creates Polyprojects in 2004, a multimedia project association. They produce a limited EP vinyl edition of late 60’s Estonian Jazz band COLLAGE in collaboration with Wool Recordings. In 2005 together they curate Polycopy, an ephemeral artshow presenting drawings of artists such as Rich Jacobs, Marke Newton, Jonone, Jay Stuckey and Andy Howell.
In November 2005, Raphaël Gianelli-Meriano directs his first short-film: DAYDREAMERS (As if we could merge with the wind), with Veroushka Knoge and Tomas Lemarquis. Stylism of the actors is provided by designer Felipe Oliveira Baptista.
The film and other works by RGM were presented at La Bank Gallery, Paris in January 2006 and to numerous festivals in France and Europe.
In June 2006 he shoots the music video MAD for songwriter Double U with actress Liza Manili. He participates the same year to the project Fluo zine by artist Marke Newton.
In collaboration with Estonian animation filmmaker and illustrator Priit Pärn he directs A NIGHT WITHOUT THE POPE, a film portrait of the artist, produced in 2007 and included in the DVD recent release of Pärn’s film retrospective.
Raphaël Gianelli-Meriano is currently working on THE KAPLINSKI SYSTEM a feature length documentary on Estonian poet and thiner Jaan Kaplinski. He has just completed a 12 minutes short film: JARDIN KENNEDY, staring actress Clotilde Courau and Tomas Lemarquis. And has directed the music video GRAIN DE SABLE for singer Luciole which is currently broadcasted on French television music channels.
Short Films and videos:
DAYDREAMERS – Bollywood Productions, France 2005 (Trouville Short Film Festival France
2006 - Braunschweig Film Festival in Competition Germany 2006 - Bicycle Film Festival NYC,
London, Paris 2007)
MAD - Music Video - Nocturne and Bollywood Productions, France 2006 (Broadcasted on M6, MCM
TV channels 2006).
A NIGHT WITHOUT THE POPE – France 2007 - Dresden Animation Film Festival 2008 - Forum
Des Images Paris June 2008 - Estonian Cultural Week Toulouse November 2008 -
JARDIN KENNEDY – 12mn fiction - Fantastic Pictures - With Clotilde Courau and Tomas
Lemarquis - In post-production, France 2009
GRAIN DE SABLE - Fantastic Pictures / Blonde Music – For artist Luciole – June 2009
(Broadcasted on M6, TW9, MCM…).
Feature length documentary:
THE KAPLINSKI SYSTEM - In development - France-Estonia. 2009-2010