Trailer
Year
2023
Length
52 min
Director
Nuray Şahin
The Art of Being Free
THE ART OF BEING FREE DELVES INTO THE LIVES OF VARIOUS ARTISTS FROM DIVERSE CORNERS OF THE WORLD WHO HAVE SOUGHT SANCTUARY IN THE WESTERN COUNTRIES, EXPLORING HOW THE TRAUMA OF DISPLACEMENT CAN SPARK NEW ARTISTIC AVENUES.
Artistic freedom is under threat worldwide, not just in isolated cases. Many artists and cultural creators now find themselves living in Western exile, a consequence of wars, crises, and conflicts that have forced them to leave their homelands. While not a new phenomenon, it’s one that has garnered significant global attention. This film delves into the lives of various artists from diverse corners of the world who have sought sanctuary in the Western countries, exploring how the trauma of displacement can spark new artistic avenues.
Renowned artist Ai Weiwei fell out of favor with the Chinese government and has since become an international sensation in Western exile. Actress Golshifteh Farahani, after years of suppression in Iran, has risen to prominence in Hollywood. Egyptian-Sudanese cartoonist Anwar channels his art through political drawings in Berlin. Ukrainian ballet dancer Anastasiia Ilnytska has fled Kyiv and now graces the stage with the Hamburger Kammerballett, while the Russian art collective Pussy Riot embarks on a global tour amidst Putin’s relentless war in Ukraine.
“The Art of Being Free“ navigates the delicate balance between art as a conduit for the unspeakable and the stark reality of the present, weaving together the past and present of its diverse protagonists. Their stories interconnect thematically: the initial shock of flight gives way to a period of disorientation, followed by a process of exploration and experimentation with artistic expression, ultimately leading to acceptance of life in exile.
Directed by
Nuray Şahin
Written by
Nuray Şahin
Margarita Dreiling
Cinematogrophy
Marcus Winterbauer
Jonny Müller-Goldenstedt
Daniel Lam
Martin Kobold
Ahmed K
Basil Gaddal
Sound
Till Blanke
Frank Bubenzer
Bruno Macilef
Nicolas Winkelhahn
Editor
Imke Koseck
Music
Sedar Tunç
Astare Artner
Tara Jaff
Nils Kacirek
Mix
Pierre Brand
Archive Producer
Florian Tropp
Animation
Anwar
Mostafa Nada
Production Management
Lydia Mutschmann
Margarita Dreiling
Producer
Eva Fouquet
Margarita Dreiling
Executive Producer
Reinhardt Beetz
Commissioning Editor
Christopher Janssen
Sales & distribution
- Press kit
- Press photos
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„Just in diesem Moment überraschen uns die aus dem Theaterbereich stammenden jungen Regisseure Hans Block und Moritz Riesewieck mit einem erstaunlichen Dokumentarfilm, der seit Monaten Publikum und Kritik auf den wichtigsten Festivals der Welt elektrisiert. Völlig zu Recht: Es ist, als würden einem die Scheuklappen weggerissen, als sähe man das, was sich seit Jahren direkt vor unseren Augen abspielt, zum ersten Mal unverschleiert... eine fesselnde ,Doku noir' mit höchstem Anspruch...Dieser Film müsste an allen Schulen gezeigt werden.“
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
17.05.2018
