Simon Hesse

Soul of a Beast

During the summer, Gabriel, a teenage father, falls in love with the mysterious Corey, the girlfriend of Joel, his best friend, who, deeply hurt, reveals the truth about Gabriel's past.

Out of Paradise

Dorj and his heavily pregnant wife Suren live an idyllic nomadic life on the Mongolian steppe, but as Suren develops complications during childbirth, the local doctor advises them to venture into the capital city to seek medical attention. With no official documentation they find themselves unable to cover the medical fees and Dorj must pawn their wedding belongings before signing up to a local karaoke contest. A heart- warming and feel-good road movie about the clash between nature and the urban world. Out of Paradise is as much a love story as a reflection on our modern ways of living.

ThuleTuvalu

Thule, Greenland, also called Qaanaaqis, one of the northernmost towns in the world. As the climate warms and the ice caps begin to melt, the gentle balance of life for the people of this community is in jeopardy. On the other side of the globe, the melting ice caps are raising sea levels around the Polynesian island nation of Tuvalu, threatening to wipe the island right off the map. Though a world apart, these two communities are intricately connected as environmental balance begins to tip and traditional ways of life are threatened. 'ThuleTuvalu' is a stunning documentary addressing the high price of a hundred years of development and how two very different communities are now bound together in facing an uncertain future.

Paul Bowles: The Cage Door Is Always Open

The American composer and author Paul Bowles was a man with a great deal of charisma and influence. When he moved to Tangier, Morocco, in 1949, half the world followed him to the enigmatic city. His marriage with author Jane Bowles was a loving relationship of opposites, even though both were homosexual. Based on exclusive interviews with Bowles shortly before his death interwoven with anecdotes recounted by his friends and co-workers, the film portrays a daring and visionary life as well as a relationship shaped by an interdependency that encompassed much more than sexuality.

Max Frisch, Citoyen

Max Frisch was the last big Swiss intellectual widely respected as a “voice” in its own right – a character hardly found today. The film retells Frisch’s story as a witness of the unfolding 20th century, wondering if such “voices” are needed at all, or if we could do without them.

Why We Try

Argentinian biology student Miro falls madly in love with young actress Mercedes, but is without a clue as to how to win her love. Then, a series of misunderstandings put him in the hot seat as a famous film director. Miro grabs his chance to shoot a film with Mercedes as his leading lady, hoping that she will fall for him. Whilst his plan is crazy, it is simple enough and Cupid is on his side. But Miro hasn't reckoned with film students Peter and Luigi who wish to shoot a “making-of” documentary of the great Argentinian “director”at work.