Lost
Wings, Feature
Film 1999
"Lost
Wings" from Wolfgang Scholz
is a tale about two people, two generations whose path coincidentally
cross.
Together seventy-one year old Johanna Haupt and fourteen year old Benja
embark upon a journey to discover their individual family origin and
past.
A story about dealing with one´s own and another´s history.
"Lost Wings" is one of the first films which confronts the
situation of the "Wendezeit" in Germany. The dissolution of
the former GDR and its new begin, created a whole new world which was
unknown to its former citizens.
Recorded diary entries served as a catalyst for the script.
Conversations with the Viennese writer Friederike Mayröcker aided
in preparation of the script. The story was written within five weeks
in a Spanish Villa.
There are many such eldeshy women in the former GDR.
Language and Gestures were reduced during shooting to a minimum. Photography,
lighting and the handling of film-material were precisly chosen to present
the "past" a subject which can hardly be described in a allotted
amount of time.
"Present" in a state of suspension.
Cast
Gudrun Okras
Peter Franke
Roy Helbig
Christel Peters u.a.
Camera
(DoP) : Hans Fischer
Sound: Jörg Marquardt
Setting designer: Martina Gross-Georgi
Costume designer: Jaqueline Peevski
Make-up artist: Kathrin Gahs
Music composer: Axel-Frank Singer
Sound design: Daniel Dietenberger
Sound mix: Martin Schinz
Gaffer: Andreas Doub
Location manager: Gerhard Weber
Line producer: Marco Voß
Associate producer: Robert Busch
Assistent director: Jaqueline Winkel
Script, direction and editing: Wolfgang Scholz
Genre Drama
Length 84 Min.
Format 1:1,66
35 mm, color
Language German
1999
Co-Production
from KOPPFILM
GmbH Leipzig,
ERF Edgar Reitz Filmproduktions
GmbH Munich,
the Mitteldeutschen TV Broadcast, Leipzig and Sic! Film Production GmbH
Munich
Funding:
MDM Mitteldeutscher
Medienförderung GmbH Sächsisches Staatsministerium
for Science and Art, Sächsische Landesanstalt for private broadcast
and new medias
Distribution:
Basis Filmverleih Berlin
Screening
at Festivals:
Internationale Filmtage Hof, Germany 1999
International Film Festival Houston, USA 2000
International Festival Karlovy Vary, Czechia 2000
MIFF International Film Festival Milano, Italy 2000
San Marco Island Film Festival, Florida, USA 2000
International Film Festival Vancouver, Canada 2000
Filmtage Bieberrach, Germany 2000
International Independent Film Festival New York, USA 2001
Silver Award for theatrical feature film,
International Film Festival Houston, USA
Theatrical
screening:
Mexico 2004
Screening
at TV:
Mitteldeutscher TV Broadcast 2001
Bayerischer TV Broadcast 2002
Synopsis
Everything begins with a search.
While eavesdropping on the conversation of two women at the cemetery
fourteen year old Benja learns of the old women who resides in the mysterious
Villa. He decides to search for her. Upon finding her, there develops
a friendship between the two.
The seventy-one year old Johanna Haupt is the only occupant of this
gigantic old Villa. The accident death of her husband Josef last year
has sapped the last of Johanna´s zest and desire to live. Her
sole wish is to die and he left alone with her happy memories of the
past.
Mrs. Haupt notates all her daily functions to the last detail as if
this (dairy) were the only thing which keeps her live.
She attempts to catagorize all information from the media concerning
the condition of the world´s affairs according to her perception
of their importance. Cut-outs of newspaper articles or notated facts
on strips of paper are stuck to the walls of home. Making her home into
a cave.
It´s 1990 - a year after the "Wende" - the Germany´s
Reunification.
As the son of the former owner of the Villa appears to have the property
appraised, he discovers Mrs. Haupt. She should move out so that the
Villa can be renovated. Benja offers to help Mrs. Haupt and invites
her to live with him. He has no idea that they´ve touched upon
a secret which encircles them both. Benja makes an unbelievable discovery
which fundamentally changes his life as well as Mrs. Haupt´s.
Everything end with a search.
The past does not exist,
because it has already passed.
The future does not exist,
because it has not yet begun.
There is only the present.
like along elastic band.
Hl. Augustinus
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