I made this little indie film back in the day - it premiered at the Copenhagen Film Festival in 2003. It's sentimental for me to see it now, years on. Duration: 1 h 25 min. Zakka West is a simple portrait of this generation of individuals who increasingly shy away from relationships in the pursuit of Self. It is a love story with focus on the two people involved and not much else. Olly & Lulu. After all, love isn't a team sport. It is 2 people battling inner emotions with little regard for the world around them. It's an indiefilm about 2 people determined to be independent. The film portrays the naïveté inherent in this modern individualism and it does so with an elegant simplicity. In the dramaturgy, in the characters and in the uncomplicated soundtrack, featuring melancholy pop and blues by new Danish artists like Saybia, Jupiter Day, Racing Ape, among others. Zakka West is a cool, fresh and sentimental film made by cool, fresh and sentimental people. Its simplicity and melancholy provides space in which one can harbour and digest thoughts and emotions, long after one leaves the cinema. Cool, fresh and sentimental - like the generation that inspired the film. An exclusive little indie film accessible to the few. See the film's website here: http://zakka.dk/zakkawest.htm

• published: 24 Apr 2009
• views: 3071

I’VE SEEN IT ALL // World Premiere: 16th September 2011, Les Halles, Sierre (CH) Germany Premiere: 6th October 2011, Theater im Ballsaal, Bonn ) // in co-production with Theater im Ballsaal, Bonn / Les Halles, Sierre (CH) / Théâtre du Crochetan, Monthey (CH) // Funded by: Théâtre-Pro Valais / Loterie Romande / L’encouragement des activités culturelles du canton du Valais / MIGROS pour-cent culturel / Kunststiftung NRW / Bundesstadt Bonn / Ministerium für Familie, Kinder, Jugend, Kultur und Sport des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen within the programme support for the best independent dance companies // By and with Volkhard Samuel Guist, Martin Inthamoussu, Athanasia Kanellopoulou, Maura Morales, Victoria Perez, Morgan Rhiannon, Joerg Ritzenhoff / Choreography: Rafaële Giovanola / Light design: Marc Brodeur / Sound, music Jörg Ritzenhoff/ Costume: Sabine Schnetz / Copywriting and advice: Bastien Fournier / Artistic advice: Carmen Mehnert / Choreographic assistance: Marcelo Omine / Dramaturgy: Rainald Endraß 7 performers, 1 technician stage: 12m x 12m duration: 1 h // About the piece Six dancers and a Foley walker lure the spectator/listener into an intense game of spoken texts, music and noises, of spaces and movements. The focus in on Henry’ bizarre, fickle world that continuously changes between waking and dreaming, and which is released by a voice from the darkness. The invisible can be heard, the unexpressed becomes visible. The ear which is void of distance outplays the eye that keeps a distance. The eye is selective, the ear alert. The eye watches for prey, the ear listens to danger. Whatever I hear, wants to get into closer contact with me, whatever I see, wants to dissociate itself from me. For “I’ve seen it all”, Cocoondance has developed a theatre language, in which scenic and sonic elements are connected in an exceptional way. The result is a “listening performance”, a game with movements to listen to! Press reviews “The audience sets out on a breathtaking journey through their desires. The six dancers and composer Joerg Ritzenhoff conquer space, and fill it with dance that is far away from common images. Sensational!“ JFA, Le Nouvelliste, 9/21/2011 “The acoustic universe of I'VE SEEN IT ALL shows how the release of sound creates emotions and strong images. (…) This performance is extremely fascinating.“ Isabelle Bagnoud Loretan, Le JDS - journal de Sierre et du Valais central, 9/23/2011 “The dance is full of energy and rhythm, and completely void of pathos. The technique and the form provide a closer understanding of the topic than any sensitive interpretation has been capable of so far. “I've seen it all“ by Rafaële Giovanola is about incest. (…) The sound spins the red thread of a story that, completely structured, provides perfect sense for the often quite abstract body movements.” Marie Parvey: Valais-mag, 17.09.2011 “Using light and sound fragments, and movements, a puzzle game of love and power is assembled piece by piece.” The audience, which is placed around the square stage of the Theatre im Ballsaal, cannot get hold of the radio play performer at any moment during the whole duration of the play. He is director and audience at the same time, and thus, an almost ideal surface for the audience’s thoughts and ideas, since Rafaële Giovanola’s latest Cocoondance production “I’ve seen it all”, breaks consciously and quite thoroughly with valid guidelines of dance theatre. The result is a puzzle game. Not easy to follow, but worth to watch in any case. “I’ve seen it all” tells the story of incest – however, the story does not impose itself on the audience. In the long run, what it is really about, - within the family and outside of it – are love and power. The same actors are quite often simultaneously perpetrator and victim. They move within a frame of text fragments and noises; alone, in pairs, in threes. They draft a “love triangle” alternating between a healthy aggression, self-defense, and a strange kind of devotion. (...) If you want it to be like this; but you don’t have to. Because “I’ve seen it All” permits more than one interpretation. Each chair allows for one individual performance. At the beginning, it could be any experiment with light and sound. Then, it takes up speed, and it is too late for withdrawal or denial. Or, in other words, one is simply fascinated.” Ulrike Strauch, General-Anzeiger, Bonn, 08-10-2011 “…games which you can only hear but not see, open up spaces for your own fantasies… spread a surreal world around you as a counterpart to reality that deals with family intrigues between father, mother, and daughter. The radio play performers in the Theatre im Ballsaal, however, do not get involved in these games in the true sense of the word… Not the information becomes important but the ways it travels. Loud and enduring applause.” Heinz-Dieter Terschüren, Bonn

• published: 29 Apr 2012
• views: 1032

As featured on: Upworthy, Vimeo Staff Picks, Short of the Week, Laughing Squid, The Awesomer, Sopitas and many more... (visit www.goodgrief.tv/press) Good Grief is a short stop motion animated documentary that explores the lessons we learn from dealing with grief and loss. Five real people share their true stories of losing something precious and what it has taught them about living. Made in 2012, Good Grief has screened at 19 festivals worldwide and won numerous awards. Inspired by the loss of her own mother and the grief that ensued, director Fiona Dalwood went about finding out how the experience of loss transforms us. With a shoestring budget and months of hard work, she made Good Grief, a beautiful short film that has been described as “adorable and heartfelt”. Accessible to children and adults alike, it is being used in educational programs as a starting point to discuss the process of grief and what some of the positive outcomes of grief can be. If you like this film please consider contributing to our tip jar - all funds raised will offset the cost of production. Watch Good Grief with French subtitles (Regarder Good Grief avec sous-titres français) http://vimeo.com/91157089 (5 May, 2014) Coming Soon—Spanish subtitles To find out more visit www.goodgrief.tv Keep up to date with news about the film on Facebook www.facebook.com/goodgriefanimation Follow Good Grief on Twitter twitter.com/goodgriefmovie Good Grief on IMDB (We love votes!) www.imdb.com/title/tt2583460/ Email director@goodgrief.tv or producer@goodgrief.tv If you would like to write about the film or have any questions, please get in touch with the film-makers via the emails above. A media kit and photos are available for download on our press page (www.goodgrief.tv/press) Written, directed and animated by Fiona Dalwood (www.fionadalwood.com/about) Produced by Jonno Katz (www.jonnokatz.com) Music by Matthew Nicholson (www.invisibleaudio.com.au) Sound by Livia Ruzic Voice cast (interview subjects): Dan Michael, Alex De Vos, Sarah De Vos, Andrew O'Sullivan, Dana Katz © 2012 VCA School of Film & Television, The University of Melbourne, Australia (vca.unimelb.edu.au/ftv) Good Grief has screened at the following festivals: - Official Selection: ECU The European Independent Film Festival (April 2014, Paris, France) - Official Selection: Tricky Women (March 2014, Vienna, Austria) - Official Selection: Made in Melbourne Film Festival (November 2013, Melbourne, Australia) - Official Selection: Animpact (November 2013, Korea/Japan/China) - Official Selection: Clare Valley Film Festival (November 2013, South Australia, Australia) - Official Selection: London International Animation Festival (October 2013, London, UK) - Official Selection: Dok Leipzig (November 2013, Germany) - Official Selection: Anim'Est (November 2013, Bucharest, Romania) - Official Selection: Cut Out Fest (November 2013, Mexico) - Official Selection: Canberra Short Film Festival (September 2013, Canberra, Australia) - Official Selection: Animanima (September 2013, Cacak, Serbia) - Official Selection: Just People/Chalice Films for Change (July 2013, Melbourne, Australia) - Official Selection: Heart of Gold Film Festival (July 2013, Gympie, QLD, Australia) - Official selection: Melbourne International Animation Festival (June 2013, Melbourne, Australia) - Official Selection: Warburton Film Festival 'Show Us Your Shorts' (June 2013, Warburton, Victoria, Australia) - Official Selection: Brooklyn Film Festival (May-June 2013, United States of America) - Official Selection: St Kilda Film Festival (May 2013, Melbourne, Australia) - Official Selection: Mo&Friese; Children's ShortFilmFestival, as part of the International ShortFilmFestival Hamburg (June 2013, Hamburg, Germany) - Official selection: Australian International Animation Festival (May 2013, Australia) - Participation by Invitation: Berlinale Online Short Film Cloud 2013 (Feb 2013, Berlin, Germany) Good Grief has been recognised with the following awards and nominations… - Winner: Best Australian Student Film, Clare Valley Film Festival 2013 - Nominee: ATOM Awards 2013 - Best Tertiary Animation - Highly Commended: Melbourne International Animation Festival 2013 - Winner: Senior Commendation Award (2013 Warburton Film Festival Show Us Your Shorts, Warburton, Victoria Australia) - Nominee: BEST STUDENT FILM 2013 (Australian Directors Guild Awards) - Winner: Best Masters Animation 2012 (Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne Australia) - Winner: Orloff Family Charitable Trust Script Award 2012 (Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne Australia)

• published: 06 Apr 2014
• views: 175626

Ray Lewis has demonstrated leadership in Baltimore that no one can deny. Check out Part 1 of my interview with Ray Lewis where he discusses the importance of an athlete using the opportunity of playing the sport professionally to maintain strong relationships off the field to build a legacy that can be remembered after their career is over. His philanthropic efforts (Ray Lewis Family Foundation) in the Baltimore community show his leadership and commitment to giving back through dedication of time and powerful networking. A good non-football lesson for all professional athletes who are fortunate enough to play the sport they love as a career. Follow me on twitter @temekoruns

• published: 14 Apr 2014
• views: 13045