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The Woman With The 5 Elephants |
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 DOCUMENTARY FILM, 92 mins
Swetlana Geier is considered the greatest translator of Russian literature into German. She has just concluded her lifework for Zurich’s Ammann publishing house – completing new translations Dostoyevsky’s five great novels – known as the five elephants. Her work is characterised by a great and sensual feeling for language and an uncompromising respect for the writers she translates. Her life has been overshadowed by Europe’s varied history.
Together with the film director, the eighty-five-year old woman is making her first trip from her chosen home in Germany back to the places of her childhood in the Ukraine.
The film interweaves the story of Swetlana Geier’s life with her literary work and traces the secret of this inexhaustibly hard-working woman. It tells of great suffering, silent helpers and unhoped-for chances – and a love of language that outshines all else.
D/CH 2009 92mins Written and directed by Vadim Jendreyko Photographed by Niels Bolbrinker (nominated for German Camera Award 2010) Edited by Gisela Castronari-Jaensch In co-production with Mira Film Basel, 3sat and Swiss Television Supported by MFG Baden-Wuerttemberg, Federal Office for Culture Bern, MEDIA Festivals: Visions du Réel, Nyon 2009, Locarno 2009, Viennale 2009, Dok Leipzig 2009, Duisburger Filmwoche 2009, Filmfest Kassel 2009 Awards: Swiss Film Prize 2010 Best Documentary Film, Trieste Film Festival 2010 Alpe Adria Cinema Prize Best Documentary Film and Audience Award Best Documentary Film, BAKA Forum 2010 SRG SSR idée suisse Prize Best educational, societal or science television programme for a large audience, Prix SSR Idée Suisse 2009, Prix Suisseimage 2009, DEFA-Promotion Prize 2009 Nominated for German Film Award / Best Documentary Film 2010, European Film Prize 2009 in the category European Film Academy Documentary film - Prix ARTE, German Camera Award (Niels Bolbrinker) www.5elefanten.ch www.realfictionfilme.de |
