Bridges stand for the connection between two different poles. The name Brückenkunst is intended to express this intention to establish connection. The connection between two different banks, between art and life, between East and West, Asia and Europe, Top and bottom. It is generally accepted that art can possess magical abilities, so art can sometimes combine what is normally separate.
The art of Brückenkunst therefore stands for a very special spirit. A spirit that is open to the vastness, the open, the connection and not to the separating, the narrowing and exclusion. The bridge also stands for the ability to take and endure very different sides and perspectives.
How did you start making films and what was the first film project you worked on?
As early as 1994 at my high shool in Berlin-Hellersdorf, we were allowed to produce a
professional short film about the district where our grammar shool at that time – Max
Reinhardt grammar school, as far as I know the film was called, „Impressions of the ass
of the world“. It was shown at some places in the city district with some applause. Little did
I know that I would one day make real films. In 1995 I begann to study cultural studies at
the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt/Oder. During this time I studied and worked
in Poland and Argentina for a few years and my studies and my studies mainly dealt with the
intercultural exchange between Germany and Poland. In 2006, after
successfully completting my diploma, I made a feature documentary about the magic of the
Polish city of Krakow. In the film I try to bring my practical knowledge to the German-
Polish cultural exhange and to process and to integrate in into my artistry.
What genre of filmmaking are you looking to work on and why?
My film about Krakow was my directorial debut. It was a documentary. The film is called
„Krakow – Magic of a City“. I received the Palme d´Or at the Mexico International Film
Festival in 2009 and the Honorable Mention Award at the Los Angeles Reel Film Festival
2009. In my logline for this film it says: Krakow is a medieval Polish city with a magical
mythology that surrounds it and lives in the hearts of its people. A young German man seeks
this magic by talking to the people of Krakow. Through his eyes, the enchantment of
Krakow is both visible and invisible simultaneously.
What is the most challeging aspect of being an independent filmmaker?
For the unrecognized artist and independent filmmaker, art has now become a struggle of
pure existence, because the unknown artists are hardly, or even not at all accepted by society.
The art work of unknown artists is shown little, maybe no respect at all. Confronted with
this harsh reality, the non-acceptance of our art is the first painful insight and the most
important lesson I have gained through my artistic work and through making my films
about the group, „Brückenkunst“. In my films I try to show about how it feels to be an
unknown artist in such an industrialized society. This is a very important aspect that
makes my film about Brückenkunst artists so valuable and really interesting.
How challenging is it to fund indie feature films?
Besides my documentary filmmaking I am currently doing a day job for a social
library in Berlin. In addition to being in the library we want organize book readings in various
places. At the moment I am preparing readings one of the subject is German Unity.
Sometime it is very hard to keep going, but I want to finish a thing that I have started.
Starting someting without finishing it is just not good. The films I make I pay myself.
Please name three of your most favorite directors. How have they been influential in your
work?
„Schindler`s List“ from Steven Spielberg had a strong impact on me. „The Pianist“ from
Roman Polanski is a very strong work and I like the filmmaker Agnieszka Holland. They
are very strong artists and filmakers.
What is your next film project and what are you currently working on?
Last year and this year I am shooting a film about the shadow theater for the conventional
stage with the artist – Anurapala Wijayaweera from Sri Lanka and with students of the 6 th
class of the Spartacus school in Berlin-Friedrichshain. They made together with the artist a
big presentation of the shadow theater in a big theater in Berlin. It was great and I make a
film together with the American artist Amadea Leonore – JJ about the Swans in Berlin-
Grunewald.
What was the inspiration behind your latest film project?
The film is about the artist group “Brückenkunst”. “Brückenkunst” is a group of unknown
artists who have been trying to gain a greater acceptance in society for 7 years with small,
inexpensive exhibitions, and art stands. I´ve been trying in vain for years as an abstract
painter to be accepted by society through my art and film work. For me making films is the
most important part of my art work. I myself have been a member of the group since 2013.
After joining the group I have made a short film every year about the work and annual
exhibitions of our group which were then shown at many Filmfestivals worldwide.
The result of all the short films over the years is “All short films about the work &
exhibitions of Brückenkunst from 2014 till 2019, a group of unrecognized artists in Berlin.”
How did you find the cast and the crew of the film?
Brückenkunst is the name of our artists´group of as of yet undiscovered artists. Our group
is international. We consist mostly of painters from Korea and Germany.
The founder of our artists´group is a painter from Korea. His name is Junggeun Oh.
For now I only do documentaries; that´s why I don´t do auditions. However, I also often
look for interesting interview partners and that is often not so easy. Moreover, I accompany
the artist group in their work with my camera, and then I film the painting exhibitions and
anything interesting that is happening there while we are opening the exhibitions.
What is the distribution plan of the film and did the film receive any sreenings or was it
featured in festivals?
If there was a formula for becoming a successful artist and my films would show that, then
everyone would probably want to see the film right away. Unfortunately, my film cannot
show this, but it shows the dedicated and hard work of talented artists. Even if the
Brückenkunst artists have not had a social breakthrough to this day. I am glad that I was
able to accompany the artists on this very difficult path for many years. I think that
distributors should also be interested in less successful artists and not only in successful
artists. I think that my films are appealing to the distributors also for other reasons: the
rawness in the filming technique, the uniquness of the Asian artists and the cool Live music
in the film. The distributor for the short film „7 Years Art from Berlin – Brückenkunst 2019“
which is the last short film of the short film serie „All short films about the work & exhibitions of Brückenkunst from 2014 tilll 2019, a group of unrecognized artists in Berlin.“
is 7 Palms Entertainment, LLC but without much success yet.
The film „7 Years Art from Berlin - Brückenkunst 2019“ & All short films about the work
& exhibitions of Brückenkunst from 2014 tilll 2019, a group of unrecognized artists in
Berlin“ has yet screened at aproximately 250 Filmfestivals worldwide and it has received
about 55 Film Awards.
Why do you make films and what of impact would your work have on the world?
When society is more open and free, trust flourishes. But if society is over-regulated, full of
fear, and restricted to function only for the advantage of a small minority of individuals
naturally this affects the artworld. Culture itself then comes to an halt. When an individual
freedom is strengthened, this openess and trust automatically improves the atmosphere for
an artist and for the Gestalt of the entire cultural life of his (or her) society. All the other
negative impulses like mistrust, envy, gossip, and even intrigue is not good for a society and
it becomes automatically secondary when there is more openess in a society. But of course
my personal viewpoint must not be part of the dominant narrative. I hope that my films
can improve this openess in a society. Filmmakers should try to make their films in such a
way that viewers feel they have learned something new and unknown to them.
However Kieslovski once said, that you can´t change anything with films. But I mean
that Kieslovski was planning to do this with his films, but he claimed the opposite.