BRIGADISTAS Documentary Film by Daniel Burkholz
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Abstract
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70 years after the beginning of the Spanish Civil War the last still living international volunteers, who fought for freedom and democracy and against General Franco and fascism, return to Spain. The Brigadistas, 36 men and women – the youngest 86, the eldest 99 years old – set out on a journey that leads them from Madrid to Barcelona and all over Spain. A country that still celebrates them enthusiastically, even after such a long time. This is the last journey for many of them and the Brigadistas know it. They report their experiences and want to pass on their ideas and ideals. BRIGADISTAS is an intensive portrait of these people, the film paints a picture in which enthusiasm and pensiveness find their room. Format: DVD 16 : 9, Stereo 46 Min., original with subtitles, ratio: 16 : 9, DVD, Stereo Writers: Heike Geisweid, Daniel Burkholz Director and Camera: Daniel Burkholz Directors assistance: Andreas Mache Interviews: Heike Geisweid Editor: ARTcut, George Cifteli Production Company: Company: Roadside Dokumentarfilm, D 2007, www.roadside-dokumentarfi www.roadside-dokumentarfilm.de �������������������������������������������
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Genesis of BRIGADISTAS The idea to shoot the movie BRIGADISTAS was born during a subway-ride through Berlin in July 2006. Just by chance, I read in a newspaper about the plan of the last Brigadistas to return to Spain for a last time, 70 years after the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. After some more research and thinking about this, I quickly decided to make this movie. This was a unique chance. We got in contact with the German Brigadista and chairman of the International Auschwitz Board, Kurt Julius Goldstein and Mr. Goldstein agreed that we accompany him to Spain. Already three months later, our movie-team set out on a journey that took us in 10 days from Madrid via Zaragoza to Barcelona and all over Spain. The shooting was not easy, because we were “on the road” without any break and the packed program couldn´t take our ambitious project into consideration. But there was a good side to this too. We had no other option than - like good documentary moviemakers should always do - to renounce the prearranging or designing of the scenes. We had to catch life as it was. Since the close of the shooting, many of the Brigadistas we were on tour with have died already. We are glad, that we had the chance to meet these people and to make this movie together with them.
Press In opposite to Oliver Stone´s film “Comandante” he leads the camera gentle, as if he had to adapt to his interviewpartners movements. Because he is always very close to his protagonists with his camera, he strengthens the impression for the viewers that they are standing directly nearby. He underpins this naturalness by preferring subtitles instead of a synchronization for the interviews. Ingo Niebel, 14th of July in Junge Welt BRIGADISTAS is an important contribution to the European culture of memories. Prof. Dr. Ignacio Sotelo, Freie Universität Berlin (Free University Berlin)
Burkholz and his co-writer Heike Geisweid renounce to use the typical historical black-white footage. They let the story be told by the Brigadistas themselves … the Brigadistas will leave us – but Burkholz´ film will remain. By doing so, he put up a monument for these people. Franz Lindenthal, 13th of July in Neue Rheinische Zeitung From Madrid over Zaragoza to Barcelona the camera of the German changes into the inseparable companion of this group of fighters. They see the camera as kind of an ally and by doing so, they create a strong connection with the viewer. Itziar Reyero, 18th of January 2008 in El Pais