At the age of eighteen, Irina Tschistjakowa can already look back at a ten-year international career of concerts. Irina was the youngest of the four protagonists in the documentary film Russia’s Wonder Children, which celebrated its original premiere at the Berlinale 2000. Ten years later, the young geniuses of yesteryear are now competitors in the tough field of music. They now experience the tragedy that befalls many child prodigies: while they were still children, they could amaze the public through the contrast between their delicate appearance and precocious ability—but now, it is all about the sublimely perfect performance and the top prizes at competitions, as well as simple luck. They all want to attain the pinnacle of the Mount Olympus of piano playing, but the air there is very thin. And there is only enough room for a handful of talented virtuosos.
Like Irina, Nikita Mndoyants, 19, Dmitri Krutogolovy, 20, and Elena Kolesnitschenko, 26, have remained faithful to their music. They have spent tens of thousands of hours practicing the piano. Has all the hard work been worth it? Did the childhood that they barely experienced leave any psychological scars? The innocent simplicity of the early years is long gone by now, and the concert appearances have become rarer. And it’s not just the size of their bodies that has changed: the world of classical music has also changed since then. Performing artists are now expected to act like pop musicians and be as attractive as a Hollywood star. How can all that be combined under one hat alongside physical and spatial precision when performing on stage? The thresholds for psychical and psychological pain are commonplace in the everyday work life of a professional concert pianist, and they have to overcome time and again. And it is incredibly difficult to add something new, individual, refreshing to the world’s collected concepts of piano playing.
The documentary THE COMPETITORS narrates a universal story about success and failure within the thoroughly commercialised world of classical music. Up close and personal with the four protagonists, and utilising moving flashbacks from the film Russia’s Wonder Children, the documentary presents a compassionate look at growing up under the constraints of an almost inhumane competition. Within her film, which she has been working on for a number of years in Russia, Western Europe and Mexico, Irene Langemann dramatically and poetically interweaves the highs and lows in the lives of her protagonists.

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A documentary by Kai Christiansen, 89/45 minutes, HD, stereo
Comm. editors: Christian von Behr, RBB, Uwe Bergmann, RBB, Alexander von Sallwitz, NDR
Funded by Filmstiftung NRW (development) Filmförderung Hamburg/ SHH (Production)

The documentary film “Starfighter – A High-Tech Death” tells the story of the procurement of the most modern combat aircraft of the time and the mysterious crash and death of over 100 pilots.
In the 60s, the West German Air Force had over 900 Starfighter supersonic fighter-bomber aircrafts of the model 104G in service ? to the initial jubilation of the pilots, for the speed and acceleration of the new fighter jets were exceptional. But the new technology proved tricky: one-third of the machines crashed, and every second crash proved fatal for the pilot.
copyright Ullstein/dpa
Kai Christiansen’s film is the first film to deal with the Starfighter scandal, and it does so from a variety of perspectives: the viewpoint of those affected is presented, as is the desire of the politicians for both a new German aviation industry and the access to the atom bomb. Particular attention is given to the widows of the fallen pilots and their desperate struggle for the clarification of the causes behind the accidents and the hope for an end to the series of crashes. The film, however, also lets the pilots speak who enthusiastically continued to get into their machines everyday despite the numerous deaths.
The documentary “Starfighter ? A High-Tech Death” is 88 minutes of highly interesting German post-war history. It is a film about the largest and most expensive armament project in the history of the Federal Republic. The documentary offers insight behind a tangle of military secrets, political intrigue, corruption and deliberate misinformation. It is revealed how the catastrophe came to be and why the series of crashes could continue for almost 30 years.
The film also tells little stories of the purchase of the first car and the first camera as well as of the young army’s recruitment of professional soldiers. On the other side, the film presents the new army’s attempts to position itself with the Warsaw Pact on the one side and the NATO allies on the other ? and the price that was paid for this ambition.
It is a film about the difficult relationship between the German Federal Republic and its army, about the parallel worlds of the German Armed Forces and the civil society.

“Starfighter ? A High-Tech Death” is also a film full of anger, sadness and outrage at a military leadership that demands heavy losses even in times of peace and a political policy in which nobody takes responsibility. It is a film about the difficult new beginning of the Air Force in the shadow of World War II, about the close friendship with the United States, and about the thrill of supersonic flight.

Ms. Lantzberg-Hippel sued Lockheed to force the Bundeswehr to open the files.

Peter Vogler has been attracted by flying the  Starfighter

Hubert Merkel also has been Starfighter pilot and is a consulter for the aircraft industry now. copyright Ullstein/dpa

Starfighter – F 104 – in formation flight. copyright Ullstein/dpa

Leftovers of a  Starfighter                                     copyright Ullstein/dpa

The 131st crashed Starfighter in Germany

The author and director of the documentary, Kai Christiansen

Horseback riding has become one of the most popular sports in Europe and attracts millions of people. German horses dominate the international tournaments. At the Olympic Games in Hong Kong, 40% of the horses originally came from Germany and half of the show jumping horses from Holstein. This film looks into how Germany was able to become such a horse “superpower” and whether this position remains unchallenged. In doing so, the film also pursues some curious historical paradoxes. When the National Socialists overran and occupied Poland, for example, German equine specialists took over the nation’s state studs. Noble, half-breed horses for the military had traditionally been bred there using English and Arabian thoroughbreds, and the Germans learned from this.

One of them, Clemens Freiherr von Nagel, bought the Anglo-Arabian Ramzes from a Polish officer in 1948. The grey stallion revolutionised horse breeding in Germany and is one of the reasons behind the current dominant position of German high-performance horses. Since then, German breeders have crossbred more and/or less thoroughbred breeds into the existing warmblood lines. They combined the good qualities of different types and created a new type of German riding horse. The centuries-old preferred characteristics of a coach or plough horse have been crossbred with those of thoroughbred breeds to bring in speed, agility, alertness and intelligence, as well as courage and better reflexes. Today, breeders and equestrians from around the world come to Germany to try out horses and bid at auctions — and pay between fifty-thousand and one million euros. Some people fear that the best horse are being sold abroad; the 2009 World Equestrian Festival CHIO in Aachen, for example, revealed that the dominance of Germany is not only threatened but that other nations have caught up.

Harm Thormählen is one of the leading breeders of the Holsteiners

Noble Breed visits breeders and equestrians, veterinarians and the scientists, to unravel the secrets of successful breeding. The film looks back into history and also travels to the original sources of the noble breeds — Uzbekistan, for example. In addition to Germany, both Poland and Hungary play an important role in the film, for both these countries have been successfully crossbreeding thoroughbred lines for centuries.

Prof.  Hartwig Schmidt, a former academic physician, is the most innovative and riscing breeders in Holstein.

A film by Irene Langemann, 2009, HD, 89 min.
Comm. editors: Gudrun Hanke-El Ghomri, SWR, Jutta Krug, WDR, Frauke Sandig, DW
Since the end of World War II, American armed forces have been stationed in Ramstein in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The fascination for the “American way of life” has not only cast a spell over many Germans there, but it has also left visible traces in the area. On the Ramstein Air Base, the largest US air base found on foreign soil, one even has the impression of being in “Little America”.

The military installation is structured on the principal of self-sufficiency. Although the drama of the Iraqi War has lead to a general disenchantment with the superpower, the people of the area cannot imagine a life without Americans. The cooperation and coexistence of the two nations remains very intensive here, particularly when it comes to German-American marriages. Although a clash of cultures is found in each individual relationship, the German wives and husbands quickly and unconditionally adopt the patriotic attitude of their American partners — even when it comes to the USA’s adventure in Iraq. This is all the more amazing since the service members are regularly deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. As a result, the German spouses also become fatally and closely involved with the events of the war. Their lives are full of worry and anxiety about their loved ones, who could possibly return home from the conflict area injured or even dead.

The film presents highly personnel German-American family stories from “Little America”, Germany, against the backdrop of the Iraqi War. Again and again, the private sphere merges with the world of international events. Through the perceptive narrative flow and the close observation of the people involved, the question whether or not personnel happiness is possible in the shadow of a war is continually brought up for discussion.

James Ewing is flight engineer in the Iraq                                                 ©Lichtfilm

The Ewing family enjoys the weeks beeing together in Ramstein      ©Lichtfilm

Blessed soldiers from Iraq brought to the Ramstein hospital.                    ©Lichtfilm

Schläfer family after an avancement ceremony                                       ©Lichtfilm

Cast and crew afther the premiere of the film at the International Munich Film Festival at the July 3rd 2009.

In the early period of the Soviet Union breathtaking experiments have taken place. Crossbreeding between man and ape; blood refreshment by transfer; fixing conditional reflexes to the genes; artificially inseminating women by sperms of genius men, everything seemed to be possible in this short time period, ending 1936 with mass murdering of so called opponents.
The film will lighten this period by archive footage, authentic places and with the words of specialists.

After the victory of Bolshevist revolution breeding of “a new man” (in a broad sense – new mankind) became one of the main goals of grandiose experiment carried out at “one sixth part of the earth”.

The struggle for “a new man” had not only ideological reasons. Strange, as it may appear at the first sight, but its active development was stimulated by disease and death of Bolshevist leader Vladimir Lenin. Lenin’s death became alarming signal for his comrades. Communist elite rushed to doctors’ rooms requiring to prolong their lives due to the newest medical discoveries. Different scientists were involved in the solution of this problem. An old Lenin’s comrade and later his ideological opponent Alexander Bogdanov, physician, philosopher and science fiction writer was among them.

His speculative novel Red Star, , narrates the life of selected inhabitants on Mars. The people there are truly connected by blood: The elder and younger Martians exchange blood regularly and, as a result, becomes “blood brothers.” The Martians have also long recognized that the mixing of one’s own blood with that of other people is rejuvenating for the whole body. In 1924 Bogdanov began to experiment with blood transfusions on real humans. The blood of old and young people was exchanged, just like in his novel. He often experimented on himself, and he kept track in his records of the improvements of his general condition, production capacities and appearance. Following 11 successful experiments, Bogdanov undertook another blood transfusion with a student who was suffering from a form of tuberculosis. Bogdanov hoped to transfer his own immunity onto the student. But, with the 12-th time, the tragedy happened – 54-year scientist died. The supposable reason of his death – it was the so-called rhesus incompatibility. But it had not been known by that time – blood Rhesus – factor would be discovered only in 1940.

A documentary by Irene Langemann
Germany 2008; Running time: 60 minutes

Most people in Europe are familiar with Liverpool as the poor, former industrial city where The Beatles   began their international career. Today, the city not only enjoys the well earned reputation as a new and fabulous cultural center, but has even been chosen the European City of Culture for 2008. The Film is an appreciation on Liverpool and its fascinating cultural life.

The city on the River Mersey is going to be celebrating the arts, its music, its cultural heritage and its diversity. The city fathers have promised an extensive and magnificient cultural programme “like on other yet experienced in the world”.

The film covers different varied and colorful events and performances: visitors have the choice of a rich spectrum of exhibitions, festivals and premiers in all art forms and genres ranging from public art, architecture, dance and fashion to film, literature, music and both street and stage theater. Many events have been conceived especially for younger people, like a celebration of the best of the Merseyside youth culture at the Halton Stadium.

Pop Music is truly a aspect of Liverpool’s cultural heritage. For, above all, pop music is The Beatles. The cult that surrounds the legendary band  is ubiquitous. The Beatles’ legend and heritage are also one of the thematic aspects in the film. After The Beatles and its football clubs, Liverpool is renowned for its architecture. The film presents the magnificent waterfront with The Three Graces on its docks, the Anglican and Metropolitan Cathedrals, and the diversity of Liverpool streets.

At the Albert Dock, a showcase of maritime songs present the nautical extravagance of Liverpool. The Arabic Arts Festival celebrated for two weeks at numerous locations. And, of course, at the same time the famous Liverpool “Mersey Beat” – that special style of pop music that the North English youths made so popular in the early sixties – can be experienced everywhere.

There were rumours about the wish of Stalin to espouse a woman with a male ape to create hybrid ape-men as warrior or slave-worker. The always well informed German BILD newspaper headlined about this. But this was wrong, not Stalin, more Trotsky supported the idea of unleashed breeding.

The film will explore the experimenting of Professor Ilya Ivanovich Ivanov, who – by the way – was the first to contrive the fertilization without physical coitus, Ivan Pavlov and Alexander Bogdanov with a deeply researched archive footage and shootings on the locations.

To read the full script click here: film script

The film will produced in HD, 52-60 minutes and released in December 2008

Most people in Europe are familiar with Liverpool as the poor, former industrial city where The Beatles began their international career. Today, the city not only enjoys the well earned reputation as a new and fabulous cultural centre, but has even been chosen the European City of Culture for 2008. The city on the River Mersey is going to be celebrating the arts, its music, its cultural heritage and its diversity. The city fathers have promised an extensive and magnificent cultural programme “like no other yet experienced in the world”.

The film will cover different varied and colourful events and performances: visitors have the choice of a rich spectrum of exhibitions, festivals and premieres in all art forms and genres ranging from public art, architecture, dance and fashion to film, literature, music and both street and stage theatre. Many events have been conceived especially for younger people, like a celebration of the best of the Merseyside youth culture at the Halton Stadium.

Pop music is truly an aspect of Liverpool’s cultural heritage. For, above all, pop music is The Beatles. The cult that surrounds the legendary band is ubiquitous. The Beatles’ legend and heritage will be also one of the thematic aspects in the film.

After The Beatles and its football clubs, Liverpool is renowned for its architecture. The film will show the magnificent waterfront with The Three Graces on its docks, the Anglican and Metropolitan Cathedrals, and the diversity of Liverpool streets.

At the Albert Dock, a showcase of maritime songs will present the nautical extravagance of Liverpool. The Arabic Arts Festival shall be celebrated for two weeks at numerous locations. And, of course, at the same time the famous Liverpool “Mersey Beat” — that special style of pop music that the North English youths made so popular in the early sixties — can be experienced everywhere.
The film will be an appreciation on Liverpool and its fascinating cultural life.

To receive the full script contact Barbara Mientus: barbara.mientus@lichtfilm.de

At June 22nd the shooting of the continuation of the new film started in Moscow. A love story and confession for music starts again.
When we began in early 2007 with the financing of the film, we would not have believed how difficult this turned out to be. At the end we did it.

We built some sequences of old and new footage to give you an idea of the film project!!

The piano and the pianist are symbols for the world of classic for utopias, longings, failed opportunities and for much more. The magic of the black and white keyboard can give great moments of pleasure, but it can also destroy human destinies. Irene Langemann already investigated this phenomenon in one of her past films. RUSSIA’S WONDER CHILDREN had been released in cinemas in the USA and Germany, broadcasted worldwide and awarded internationally.

Ten years have passed since the first encounter between the protagonist and her. It is known, that quite a few child geniuses lose their joy of playing a musical instrument during puberty or even lose their extraordinary talent. In some way it is the cause of the wearing process of practising, in other ways it is maybe that other, new interests awake. With these four, meanwhile young adults, this was not the case. All have stayed true to their music and still are heaped with awards, prizes and praise.

Yet what price have they paid for that? Has the scarcely liven childhood left traces in their psyches? Was the heavy work over many years worth it, so that at least one of them would be able to have a world career?

When we started in early 2007 with the financing of the film, we would not have believed how difficult this turned out to be. At the end we did it. With the initial support of Dagmar Mielke from RBB/ARTE we got Sabine Rollberg from WDR/1Festival – as HD broadcaster – into the boat, received fundings from Filmstiftung NRW, Medienbord Berlin-Brandenburg and from the new DFFF in Berlin. Furthermore we succeeded to get 7 presales ( CZ-TV, ERR Estonia, NPS The Netherlands, SF Swiss, TVP1 Poland, SKAI TV Greece and ERA from the Ukraine) Finally we got the support of the most powerfull distributor for music documentaries Euroarts/Medici
and are very optimistic about the funding through MEDIA TV distribution.

T he film will be produced in HD, the shootings will take place till summer 2009, the release is forecasted to December 2009.

Here you find the PDF of the film description: PDF

For your respond, contact Wolfgang Bergmann: wolf.berg@lichtfilm.de