Tata, Huit Huit, Sonko, Waterman and Georges are successful artists both in Africa and in Europe, where their performances in “Afrika! Afrika!” have greatly contributed to the success of this André Heller circus show. BACK TO AFRICA follows the five protagonists over a period of one year: during rehearsals, in the show – but mostly during their visits to their home countries in Africa. Set in their cultural and personal backgrounds, the performers, musicians and dancers become real. The film explores the extraordinary energy and adventurous life stories of these artists, conveying very personal insights into the African way of life and, using spectacular images, showing their immediate environments and the vast landscapes in which they live. Carried by the spellbinding African Sound of Music, BACK TO AFRICA is a veritable account of vitality, culture, inspiration and hope. The traditional African music of the Cora virtuoso Tata and the intoxicating drum rhythms of the various dance groups accentuate the single scenes and offer an impression of the diverse dimensions of African culture. BACK TO AFRICA reveals exceptional insights into the soul of Africa, moving far away from common clichés, and portrays a different positive image of this continent and its strength..
In fascinating images shot in Senegal, Ghana, Gambia, Congo, Guinea and in Europe, Othmar Schmiderer s documentary film tells a story of a love for life and of everyday culture, of dance and music, of hope, diversity and inspiration.
Othmar Schmiderer gained his greatest international acclaim for his documentary
film BLIND SPOT. HITLER’S SECRETARY (2001, co-director André Heller). The film wo
the Gold Plaque for Best Documentary at the Chicago International Film Festival, was
nominated for the European Film Awards (Best Documentary Film) and received the
Panorama Audience Award at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Othmar Schmiderer entered the film world through theater and assisted on diverse feature and documentary film productions. He worked as a cinematographer and sound engineer before he began making films independently since 1987. Othmar Schmiderer lives and works in Vienna, Austria.
2008 BACK TO AFRICA /// 2005 JESSYE NORMAN /// 2001 IM TOTEN WINKEL – HITLERS SEKRETÄRIN /// 1997–98 ECHO FROM EUROPE /// 1995–97 AM STEIN /// 1992 MOBILE STABILE /// 1988 JOSEF HAUSER – KLANG UND RAUM
EBRAIMA / Tata Dindin /// JOBARTEH /// MINGUE DIAGNE SONKO /// MAKAYA DIMBELOLO /// GEORGES MOMBOYE /// DICKSON OPPONG
DIRECTOR AND WRITER / OTHMAR SCHMIDERER /// PRODUCER / KURT LANGBEIN /// CO-PRODUCER / PETER ROMMEL /// CINEMATOGRAPHERS / HERMANN DUNZENDORFER / MORITZ GIESELMANN / OTHMAR SCHMIDERER /// EDITORS / SARAH J. LEVINE / PETER PRZYGODDA /// SOUND EDITOR / SOUNDDESIGN / NILS KIRCHHOFF /// MUSIC / EBRAIMA Tata / Dindin JOBARTEH /// A PRODUCTION OF LANGBEIN & SKALNIK MEDIA / ROMMEL FILM /// IN CO-PRODUCTION WITH WDR /// IN COOPERATION WITH ORF and ARTE /// SUPPORTED BY FILM INSTITUTE AUSTRIA / EURIMAGES / MEDIENBOARD BERLINBRANDENBURG / DEUTSCHER FILMFÖRDERFONDS /// CIRCUS SHOW BY ANDRÉ HELLER
FORMAT / 35 mm / 1:1,85 / Colour / Dolby Digital / LENGTH / 97 min. / ORIGINAL LANGUAGE / Mandinka / Wolof / Lingala / Akan/Twi / French / English / SUBTITLES / English
