 |
STRINGS
year 2004 length 92' colour 35mm Country Denmark
directed by Anders Rønnow - Klarlund
Screenplay Naja Maire Aidt, Anders Rønnow - Klarlund
Cinematography Kim Hattesen
Editing Leif Kjeldsen
Chief Puppetteer Bernd Ogodnik
Puppet maker Joakim Zacho Weylandt
Producer Niels Bald
Production Bald Productions
World Sales
Trust FilmSales
Filmbyen, 12 – 2650 Hivdovre Denmark
Tel. +45 3686 8788 Fax +45 3677 4448
www.trust-film.dk
Press Office
Fusun Eriksen, Trust Film Sales
Tel. +4536 868 788 Fax +4536 774 448 Mobile + 4526 177 776
Michael Sandager, Mobile +452 6180 995
post@trust-film.dk
synopsis
The Emperor of Hebalon dies a dramatic death, taking a terrible legacy with him to the grave; for it is widely feared that the Zeriths, the Hebalonians’ arch-enemies, have fanned new heat into the embers of the murderous enmity that has existed between the two nations from time immemorial. Martial Law is declared, and the heavy gates in the city of Hebalon are locked firm. No outsider can gain entrance.
Strings is a mythological story about the son of a king, Hal Tara, who sets out on a journey to revenge the death of his father.
To his surprise he discovers the truth of his own people - and where he least expects it - he finds true love.
Strings is not any puppet show. One wonders what Ingmar Bergman, a man fascinated by the theatre and the art of puppetry would have thought of it. Strings presents a riveting tour de force. Carved in wood, the puppets have a magnetic grace which well serve a Shakespearian plot of dead king, evil brother, orphan prince and rotten kingdom always at war with its neighbours. What gives Strings its uniqueness is the way Anders Rønnow Klarlund’s mise-en-scène turns closely around the characters, as in a magical dance. Also, cinematographer Kim Hattesen’s remarkable work with lights and ambience adds poignancy and force to the tragedy enfolding in front of our eyes.
Agnès Catherine Poirier
director's statement
I was 30.000 feet above ground, when the idea for Strings began to take shape. The aircraft was moving along high above the clouds and on the small screen in front of me, a commercial taking place in Prague was playing. It had marionette puppets as actors and I was amazed of how much expression they could display. I began to wonder how the world would appear, if I was a marionette, and I drew up a sketch of a marionette fleeing his enemy. The puppet was sitting in a treetop while tens of thousands of strings, was closing in on him. I immediately felt the idea was very strong. An idea of a universe inhabited by marionettes with strings reaching all the way up to the sky, to a place where we are all connected -and controlled.
Anders Rønnow Klarlund
|
 |
|
|
|
|
