Part of a series of mini profiles on the movers and shakers that make the Berlinale one of the most important events in the international film calendar: the filmmakers, programmers, curators, industry promoters and visitors. Starting off experimental filmmaker, executive director of the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto, TIFF Free Screen programmer and Goethe-Institut partner Chris Kennedy:Name & role: Chris Kennedy, Canadian-American filmmaker. My film ”Brimstone Line” is showing in the Berlinale Forum section on February 11, 2014 (see still).
This is my 2nd Berlinale. I was there last in 2012 with my film "349 (for Sol LeWitt)". It was fun being there for a video one minute long (lots of time to see other films!), so I’m looking forward to being there with a film ten times as long.
My favourite Berlinale program: Forum Expanded. I’m most interested in the intersection of contemporary art and filmmaking right now, and the Forum Expanded curators do a great job of investigating that. Their installation component usually houses some strong work, so I’m looking forward to that in particular.
Why being invited to screen at the Berlinale is special for an international filmmaker: The programmers take the work seriously, which is manifested in very thoughtful Q&As after the program, and the projection and cinemas are beautiful.
What I won’t miss off-Berlinale: Franz Erhard Walther at Gallery KOW, maybe a trip to the LaborBerlin microlab, and finally a trip to the Pergamon Museum and the Neues Museum to see the replica of Priam’s Treasure.
What you need to know about my film: It’s a sequel of sorts to another film I made that has a similar focus—looking at how cinema frames a landscape and directs our vision. I shot it in the last day before autumn, in the middle of a a river, wearing hip-boots, dodging rainshowers and using large stones to prevent the frames and camera from floating down the river.
interview by Jutta Brendemühl, Toronto (good luck tonight, Chris!)
