My Blind Heart
My Blind Heart | |
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Directed by | Peter Brunner[1] |
Produced by |
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Written by | Peter Brunner |
Starring |
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Cinematography | Franz Dude |
Edited by | Peter Brunner |
Production company |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 92 minutes |
Country | Austria |
Language | German |
My Blind Heart (German title Mein blindes Herz)[2] is an Austrian feature film drama written, directed and edited by Peter Brunner.[3] The film premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam[4] and Slamdance Film Festival[5] in Park City, Utah, in January/February 2014 and was nominated for a Golden Frog at the prestigious Camerimage Film Festival in November 2014.[6]
Plot
My Blind Heart is a film about Kurt (Christos Haas), a 29-year-old marine biologist who suffers from the rare disease Marfan Syndrome, which makes him almost blind as well as giving him a very peculiar appearance. After his dream of working at a Shark School is shattered, Kurt kills his mother (Susanne Lothar), with whom he has a suffocating relationship and sets out on a journey to rebel against his body and the limits society tries to set for him. A short stay at a care home results in chaos and him getting kicked out, and he ends up on the streets where he befriends 13-year-old runaway Conny (Jana McKinnon). Conny becomes his partner in crime during his protesting actions, not knowing what Kurt's motives are. Finally, Kurt manages to use a former friend from the care home, Roberto (Robert Schmiedt), to help him achieve his ultimate goal.[7]
Cast
- Christos Haas as Kurt
- Jana McKinnon as Conny
- Susanne Lothar as Mother
- Georg Friedrich as Paul
- Robert Schmiedt as Roberto
- Christopher Schaerf as David
Reception
The film was received mostly well by critics. Variety 's Dennis Harvey called it "a visually arresting black-and-white debut"[8] while Clarence Tsui of The Hollywood Reporter said that it was "boasting scintillating visuals, revolutionary ideology which charges social norms head on, and powerful performances from its cast".[9]
Accolades
Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
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2014 | Slamdance Film Festival | Jury Award for Narrative Feature | Peter Brunner | Nominated |
International Film Festival Rotterdam | HIVOS Tiger Award | Peter Brunner | Nominated | |
Brooklyn Film Festival | Grand Chameleon Award | Peter Brunner | Nominated | |
Brooklyn Film Festival | Certificates of Outstanding Achievement Cinematography | Franz Dude | Won[10] | |
Brooklyn Film Festival | Certificates of Outstanding Achievement Actor Male | Christos Haas | Won | |
Andrey Tarkovsky Film Festival "Zerkalo" | Special Jury Mention | Peter Brunner | Won[11] | |
Durban International Film Festival | Award for Artistic Bravery | Peter Brunner | Won[12] | |
New Horizons Film Festival | Grand Prize | Peter Brunner | Nominated | |
Camerimage | Golden Frog | Franz Dude | Nominated |
References
- ↑ http://myblindheart.com/filmmakers/peter-brunner/
- ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2396663
- ↑ http://www.annygomes.com/movieblog/2014/2/22/my-blind-heart
- ↑ https://www.iffr.com/professionals/press/press-releases-2013-2014/rotterdam-completes-line-up-hivos-tiger-awards-competition/
- ↑ http://filmmakermagazine.com/82718-slamdance-2014-lineup-announced/#.VJMcNieLHh8
- ↑ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fury-wild-get-up-camerimage-744730
- ↑ http://myblindheart.com/synopsis/
- ↑ http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/slamdance-film-review-my-blind-heart-1201066787/
- ↑ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/my-blind-heart-mein-blindes-674711
- ↑ http://www.brooklynfilmfestival.org/winners/
- ↑ http://tarkovskyfest.ru/2014/news2014/diary2014/549.html
- ↑ http://www.durbanfilmfest.co.za/diff2014-news/diff-announces-award-winners-for-2014