Private Project

BERG

Berg follows the stories of the stones, rocks and peaks of a vast mountain landscape. Stark black and white images and a minimalistic soundtrack draw the viewer into a vibrant, intense, cinematic experience. Just as all sense of scale is lost amidst this raw and primal cinematic trip across the panorama of the mountains, we see three small human figures - hikers tackling the peak. Following their journey throughout the film, against rising and hanging fog, thunderstorm and falling rain, we experience first-hand the overwhelming power of nature and the insignificance of man within it.

  • Joke Olthaar
    Director
    Here is Harry Merry
  • Joke Olthaar
    Writer
  • Marc Thelosen
    Producer
    Feast, To stay alive - a method, Origin of Creatures, Manifesto for a Free Fall
  • Magdalena Tomaskova
    Key Cast
  • Krunoslav Kobescak
    Key Cast
  • Matyaz Fazekas
    Key Cast
  • André Schreuders
    Cinematography
    Manifesto for a Free Fall, Licht
  • Janez Brojan
    Cinematography
  • Katarina Türler
    Editor
    Winterstille, Dreaming by numbers, Love affair with ego, Farewell Paradise, Matthews Laws
  • Hugo Dijkstal
    Sound design
    Ascent, Crazy, Zij gelooft in mij
  • Reinier van Brummelen
    Colorist
    To stay alive - a method, the pillow book, night watching, The Tulse Luper Suitcases
  • Rutger Zuidervelt
    Music
  • Hugo Dijkstal
    Music
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Feature
  • Genres:
    artfilm, visual trip, slow cinema, landscape
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 19 minutes 23 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 1, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    85,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Netherlands
  • Country of Filming:
    Slovenia
  • Language:
    Croatian, Czech, Hungarian
  • Shooting Format:
    digital (4K), 16mm, 8mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:3
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Rotterdam
    Netherlands
    June 3, 2021
    World premiere
    Bright Future selection, runner up Audience Award
  • International Film Festival Rotterdam
    Rotterdam
    Netherlands
    June 4, 2021
    World premiere
    Bright Future selection, 2nd place in Audience Award
  • Netherlands Film festival
    Utrecht
    Netherlands
    September 25, 2021
    Winner Directors Forum selection
  • Dutch Mountain Film Festival
    Heerlen
    Netherlands
    November 5, 2021
    Official Competition
  • Novos Cinemas
    Pontevedra
    Spain
    December 15, 2021
    Spanish premiere
    Official selection competition
  • FIDBA
    Buenos Aires
    Argentina
    December 2, 2021
    South American premiere
  • Nordic Adventure Film Festival
    Copenhagen & Arhus
    Denmark
    November 26, 2021
    International
    official selection
  • Mediawave
    Györ
    Hungary
  • Ulju Mountain Film festival
    Ulju
    Korea, Republic of
    April 1, 2022
    Asian premiere
    Special Jury Prize
  • Chicago European Union Film Festival
    Chicago
    United States
    March 15, 2022
  • Dokfest München
    München
    Germany
    German
  • Beldocs
    Belgrade
    Serbia
    May 17, 2022
  • FIFEQ Montreal
    Montreal
    Canada
    May 14, 2022
    Canadian
  • Dokufest
    Prizren
    Kosovo
    August 7, 2022
    Kosovo
  • Bogota Expeimental Filmfestival
    Bogota
    Colombia
    August 16, 2022
    Colmbian
  • Ciudad de Mexico IFF
    Mexico
    Mexico
    July 14, 2022
    Mexican
    Best Experimental Feature
  • Mestia International Shorts and Mountain Film Festival
    Mestia
    Georgia
    August 19, 2022
    Georgian
    Grand Prix
  • Eho Mountain Film Festival
    Skopje
    Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of
    September 14, 2022
    Macedonian
  • Bansko Mountain Film Festival
    Bansko
    Bulgaria
    September 22, 2022
    Bulgarian premiere
  • Carpatihian Mountain International Film Festival
    Uzgorod
    Ukraine
    September 19, 2022
    Ukrainian
    special jury award
  • International Sound & Film Music Festival
    Samobor
    Croatia
    October 8, 2022
    Best Original score for Documentary
  • Festival Transterritorial de Cine Underground Argentina
    Buenos Aires
    Argentina
    November 15, 2022
  • Dreamers of Dreams Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    November 10, 2022
    London
    Best spiritual and philosophical feature film
  • Noordelijk Film Festival
    Leeuwarden
    Netherlands
    November 10, 2022
  • FIC Autor
    Guadalajara
    Mexico
    November 17, 2022
    Best experimental feature film
Distribution Information
  • Windmill Film Distribution
    Distributor
    Country: Netherlands
    Rights: All Rights
    Country: Belgium
    Rights: All Rights
  • Tull Stories
    Distributor
    Country: United Kingdom
    Rights: Theatrical
Director Biography - Joke Olthaar

BERG is the first feature film by Joke Olthaar. Her music documentary 'Here is Harry Merry', was a success at the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2013 and described by de Volkskrant as 'a true gem'. Together with André Schreuders she made the absurdist short film 'Duet of three idiots'.
Joke has a rich experience as a theatre maker. All her performances are about nature and / or performed in nature. In filmmaking she is fascinated by the way people move physically in different lives. By following their movements closely, she tries to bring her audience in another state of mind.

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Director Statement

The mountain is mythical and majestic. It lures and repels. The mountain calls me, and once I start hiking, there is no way back. I translated that indescribable attraction to the mountain into a film experience. I am interested in the mountain as it presents itself to any mountain hiker. Many mountain films are about extreme experiences, alpinists or spectacular sports. To me, they ignore the essence of the mountain.
During a hike you follow your own footsteps. You let go of your thoughts. It brings peace and you encounter the beauty as a Buddhist. You allow yourself to be led through the environment. Weighed down with only your backpack, you want to achieve the ultimate - that which you have not achieved before. The landscape overwhelms you.
Walking in the mountains can seem safe and serene. And yet danger is everywhere. This you realize when you find yourself unable to move forwards or to turn around. In these moments the danger lies in overestimation or choosing a route that is above one's capabilities or perhaps fear of heights.
This sense of togetherness connects all who share in this pursuit. Nature has me in its grip. The feeling that I am small and insignificant is spellbinding and overwhelming. Here I want everything to stop.