Garbo's Eyes
An actress sets off to discover Garbo and uncovers the deepest parts of the film icon. This intimate portrait brings you into the mind of one of Vintage Hollywood's most mysterious stars.
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Britta UschkampDirectorWhen Harry Tries to Marry
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Lauren LoGiudiceWriterVeep, When Harry Tries to Marry, Beautiful Something
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Lauren LoGiudiceProducerVeep, When Harry Tries to Marry, Beautiful Something
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Britta UschkampProducerWhen Harry Tries to Marry
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Lauren LoGiudiceKey Cast"Greta"When Harry Tries to Marry
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Matthew AndersonAssociate Producer
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David BlakesleeAssociate Producer
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Isabel SadurniEditorThe American Nurse
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Cristhian AndrewsComposerAthena Rising, Chelsea International
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Andres SanclementeCinematography
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Kelsy ChauvinCinematographyBridal Party
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Britta UschkampCinematographyWhen Harry Tries to Marry
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Paul JacobsColor Correction
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Stephanie BarkleyHair & Make-Up
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Sybil SecorHair & Make-UpSkye of the Damned
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Project Type:Documentary, Experimental, Short, Other
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Genres:Experimental, Poetic, Poetic Documentary, Short Documentary, Poetic Short Documentary, Experimental Short Documentary, Experimental Documentary, Celebrity, Old Hollywood, Vintage Hollywood, Silver Screen
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Runtime:2 minutes 35 seconds
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Completion Date:May 6, 2018
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:Sweden, United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:HD
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Digital Cinema Package:Unavailable
BRITTA USCHKAMP was born on Halloween in the carnivalesque city of Köln/Cologne, Germany, to a Polish mom and a German dad.
In February 2007, after having completed postgraduate fashion studies in Paris (IFM) and a BA (Hons) Fashion in London (Middlesex University),
having worked for J.Maskrey, Darja Richter, Maria Lucas, Unrath&Strano, Julian Roberts, polo’s for you, Russel Sage, J-C de Castelbajac, Coréle Lingerie, Givenchy. . .
. . . a very decisive visit to a French lingerie-factory and winning the 1st prize for her beachwear collection at Mittelmoda/Maredimoda, Britta decided that it was time to revolutionize the world as a ‘soft feminist activist’ and start off this project with the launch of her own lingerie-label. Add to this the publication of numerous erotic short stories – it all makes perfect sense!
She has designed princess-dresses for Disney France, styled actress Marina Hands for Harpers Bazaar Uk and created the lingerie-universe for the American feature film ‘When Harry Tries to Marry’.
In 2012 she started collaborating with NYC actress and playwright Lauren Logiudice, styling and co-producing ‘Garbo Dreams’. This multi-media project is inspired by Greta Garbo and comprises theatre, film and photography.
Britta lives, works and runs in Paris – but also loves Poland, Germany and the USA.
Alongside her collection she is developing a lingerie-design workshop. She dreams of creating a cutting-edge tv-drama series and of working more in the film-industry.
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LAUREN LOGIUDICE is an actor, comedian, and character chameleon. When she’s not working in TV or film she creates original work through stand-up comedy, storytelling, and sketch comedy characters. Lauren's first solo show, Queens Girl, about growing up Queer in an Italian-American neighborhood, toured worldwide. Her second solo show Garbo Dreams, about the icon’s last days alone in her apartment, was performed site-specifically in exclusive locations throughout NYC. With Over/Under Productions Lauren created the Ciao Grandma web series, starring her sketch characters Rosa and Carmella, two warring Italian grandmas. She continues to develop her sketch characters in various web series.
Acting credits include Veep, All My Children, When Harry Tries to Marry, Flick’s Chicks and the upcoming gay romantic comedy Beautiful Something. You can also catch Lauren performing live as a storyteller; she is a Moth StorySlam Champion. Her writing and performance work has been featured by The New York Times, Backstage, BBC, NY1, McSweeney’s, Bust Magazine, America Oggi, Roma C’e, and others. She is a proud member of SAG/AFTRA. The Dramatists Guild of America, and New York Women in Film and Television. www.laurenlogi.com
One fateful evening at a romantic comedy film opening in Manhattan an actor and comedian from NYC met a lingerie designer and artist from Paris by way of Germany. The pair, Lauren LoGiudice and Britta Uschkamp, had worked on it without ever meeting each other.
Eventually, as a result of that meeting, Garbo’s Eyes, a short poetic documentary was created.
First, the pair undertook a few other transatlantic collaborations about the life and legacy of Greta Garbo. At the time of their meeting LoGiudice was writing and performing a solo play about Garbo. Uschkamp collaborated with her on costuming and thematic presentation. Through their work they explored the character of Greta Garbo intimately.
Their examinations brought up questions: What does it mean to be an icon? To inhabit that character in a vastly different time?
At first, they used photography to carry out that inquiry. LoGiudice and Uschkamp teamed up with NYC photographers Amber Rima and Kelsy Chauvin to suss out the icon versus the person, the public versus the private.
There was one aspect of Garbo that still haunted them: How accurate is our historical memory of Garbo? How would Garbo write her own history when her recollections, as most people’s, were so flawed?
To communicate their findings they decided to create the short film Garbo's Eyes shot in Stockholm, where Garbo launched her career, and in New York City, where she ended her days as a recluse. It was their intention to show you that memory is not reliable, but what the contemporary person gleans from those stories is valid.
Garbo’s struggles were reflective of many women struggling for validation and recognition in their art in a male-dominated world. Her career, like many, was an uphill battle and the toll it took on her lead to her peculiar end. In Garbo’s Eyes you meet a tortured recluse and forever film icon who’s soul forever bears the brunt of that fight.