International Competition

ABOVE AND BELOW

Nicolas Steiner
Screening time  
22.02. / Monday, 21:30 - 00:00 Theatre 5  
24.02. / Wednesday, 14:00 - 16:00 Theatre 5  
26.02. / Friday, 15:00 - 17:00 Theatre 3  
28.02. / Sunday, 12:00 - 14:00 Theatre 3  
28.02. / Sunday, 18:00 - 20:00 Theatre 4  
28.02. / Sunday, 20:00 - 22:00 Theatre 5  
28.02. / Sunday, 22:00 - 00:00 Theatre 2  
A high-speed trip through unseen America.

Rick and Cindy are a loving couple. Homeless, they have lived for a long time in a tunnel on the outskirts of Las Vegas. Dave survives alone in a shelter in the Californian desert. He constantly talks about God and sends him messages composed of empty bottles in the sand. April has a home, but humanity's overall crisis makes her think of moving to Mars. She dons an astronaut suit and goes off to explore the rocky Utah landscape as if it indeed were the Red Planet. Nicolas Steiner takes a high-speed trip through this unseen America, following his outlandish characters with such empathy and passion that it is impossible to call them outsiders. They live, love and dream to the fullest, as only true romanticists can. All of them are the invisible superheroes of today’s world, which seems an abandoned place, full of solitude, longing and a desperate urge for freedom. 

Nicolas_steiner

Nicolas Steiner

Nicolas Steiner, born in 1984, Switzerland, studied Film in Ludwigsburg, Germany. The drummer, actor and filmmaker has made both animations and (short) films and documentaries. His successful short It’s me. Helmut was shown at over 240 festivals in all five continents and received 42 prizes and honorary mentions. Above and Below (2015) is his second feature-length documentary. 

General sponsor

ABOVE AND BELOW

Switzerland, Germany
2015, 118'

Directed by:
Nicolas Steiner

Screenplay by:
Nicolas Steiner

Cinematography:
Markus Nestroy

Edited by:
Kaya Inan

Music:
John Gürtler, Jan Miserre

Producers:
Brigitte Hofer, Helge Albers, Cornelia Seitler

Produced by:
maximage GmbH, Flying Moon Filmproduktion, Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen, 3sat Zürich

Festivals & Awards:

Milan Film Festival 2015 – Best Documentary; DOK.fest München 2015 – Music Prize; Signes de Nuit Festival International Paris 2015 – Special Mention; International du Cinéma des Peuples 2015 – Young Audience Award, Grand Prix for Best Feature Film; Message to Man International Film Festival 2015 – FIPRESCI Award; Filmschau Baden-Württemberg 2015 – Best Documentary; Docs Against Gravity Film Festival 2015 – Millenium Award