Ässhäk
Ässhäk – Tales From The Sahara
Switzerland / Germany / Netherlands, December 2003
FILM,
Documentary,
110 min.
- directed by
- Ulrike Koch
- Written by
- Ulrike Koch
- Status
- In distribution
Filmmaker Ulrike Koch takes us on a journey into the Saharan desert of Niger and offers a mesmerizing glimpse into a secret way of life: the Tuareg. Enigmatic and mysterious, the Tuareg nomads continue to combine high ethical and aesthetic standards with a minimum of material culture. The film follows Nohi, a man in pursuit of his runaway camel. On his search for the wayward beast, he encounters various characters, including a holy man, the Marabout, and a young girl about to become a Targia, a radiant and strong Tuareg woman. Koch's captivating film discovers the beauty, rites and uniquely poetic lifestyle of this singular people.
La ricerca di un cammello fuggito ci porta nel territorio Tuareg. Questo popolo ha trovato il proprio insediamento tra il calore e il freddo, tra la grandiosità del cielo stellato e la luce tenue di un fuoco nel deserto, coltivando il proprio amore per la bellezza e la poesia. Il marabù, venerato come un santo, funge da tramite tra il mondo invisibile degli spiriti e gli esseri umani, incarnando l’asse verticale del film, il collegamento tra cielo e terra. La ragazza, una giovane Targia, ci introduce nella tenda delle donne, nelle cui mani vi è ancora il ritmo del vivere insieme.
credits
- World Premiere
- December 2003
- Original Version
- Tamashek (german subtitles), colour, 35mm, 110 min.
- Production
- Catpics Coproductions AG, Pegasos Film Filmverleih und Produktion GmbH, Artcam The Nederlands, SRF Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen, RSI Radiotelevisione svizzera, ARTE G.E.I.E., ZDF Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen, NPS - Televisie NTR, YLE Co-productions, TV1 Finnland
- Producer
- Alfi Sinniger
- directed by
- Ulrike Koch
- Written by
- Ulrike Koch
- Cinematography
- Pio Corradi
- Music
- Harry de Wit
- Location Sound Mix
- Peijn Aben, Dieter Meyer
World Sales / World Rights
- World Sales
- Media Luna Entertainment
Awards
(a selection)
- Hong Kong, Hong Kong International Film Festival, Humanitarian Award for Outstanding Documentary 2005 (Winner)
- Philadelphia Film Festival, Best Director 2004 (Winner)
- Montreal, Festival du Nouveau Cinéma Montréal, NFB Best Documentary Award 2004 (Winner)
Festivals
(a selection)
-
18th Singapore Int. Film Festival
14.04.2005 - 30.04.2005 -
Solothurn, Solothurner Filmtage
24.01.2005 - 30.01.2005 -
Turin, Torino Film Festival
12.11.2004 - 20.11.2004 -
Swiss American Film Festival
05.11.2004 - 11.11.2004 -
Montreal, 33rd Festival Int. Nouveau Cinéma Nouveaux Médias Montréal
14.10.2004 - 24.10.2004 -
Vancouver, Vancouver International Film Festival
23.09.2004 - 08.10.2004 -
Locarno, 57. Festival internazionale del film Locarno
04.08.2004 - 14.08.2004 -
Brisbane International Film Festival
27.07.2004 - 08.08.2004 -
Jerusalem Film Festival
06.07.2004 - 15.07.2004 -
Sunny Side of the Doc
19.06.2004 - 22.06.2004
-
Seattle, Seattle International Film Festival
20.05.2004 - 13.06.2004 -
Cannes, Marché du film Cannes
12.05.2004 - 22.05.2004 -
Munich, 19. Internationales Dokumentarfilm Festival München
07.05.2004 - 15.05.2004 -
Philadelphia Film Festival
08.04.2004 - 21.04.2004 -
Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minneapolis/St. Paul Int. Film Festival
02.04.2004 - 17.04.2004 -
EFM European Film Market
05.02.2004 - 15.02.2004 -
Rotterdam, 33rd International Film Festival Rotterdam
21.01.2004 - 01.02.2004