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Silver Hair Still Rocks

In the early 70s, a handful of people discovered the idyllic beaches of the Indian state of Goa. They were dropouts from the commercialized world who proudly called themselves 'hippie freaks' and spend every winter there since then. In the documentary film 'Silver Hair Still Rocks', filmed on original locations in Goa, long-time friends and contemporary witnesses trace a world of awakening, a world full of freedom, lust and spirituality. Everyday life in their Indian paradise was marked not only by deprivation, but also by a certain madness. What was live without electricity, without running water, without law and order like? Some hippie freaks could not cope with the new freedom in Goa, took the hardest drugs, were sent to prison or died. The lucky ones, who survived these times, often devoted themselves to quite imaginative and artistic tasks, still working today as musicians, filmmakers, actors or designers. Goan locals, on the other hand, tell things from their point of view in 'Silver Hair Still Rocks', sometimes giving bizarre insights into the wild life of the hippies, a life that had rather little to do with theirs and was nevertheless accepted in a friendly manner. Today, the scene has changed fundamentally especially since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, and more the circle of friends of the legendary hippie freaks is shrinking due to old age. But their memories embedded in atmospheric pictures make the magic of Goa still tangible and alive.

  • Andrea Elisabeth Rüthlein
    Director
    Director for more than 40 documentaries for German public TV
  • Matthias Lukoschek
    Director
  • Andrea Elisabeth Rüthlein
    Writer
  • Andrea Elisabeth Rüthlein
    Producer
  • Matthias Lukoschek
    Producer
    Cinematographer for more than 100 documentaries for German public TV
  • Jürgen Antosch
    Editor
  • Jürgen Pertack
    Colorist
  • Rainer Lux
    Re-Recording Mixer
  • Carin C. Tietze
    Narrator
  • Marianne Borgo
    Key Cast
    "Marianne Borgo"
    Love and Distrust, The Bourne Identity, Le Divorce, The Phantom of Liberty, Vicious Circles, The Summer House
  • Judy Mariposa Freeman
    Key Cast
  • Don Freeman
    Key Cast
  • Franco Musicco
    Key Cast
  • David Christman
    Key Cast
    "DJ Chicago"
  • Mariketty Grana
    Key Cast
  • Jesse Haims
    Key Cast
  • Christian P. Marwitz
    Key Cast
    "PingPong"
  • John Ryder
    Key Cast
  • Martin Wissink
    Key Cast
  • Matthias Lukoschek
    Cinematographer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 35 minutes 50 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 6, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    35,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Germany
  • Country of Filming:
    India
  • Language:
    English, German
  • Shooting Format:
    HD 1920x1080
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Cinemaking International Film Festival 2022
    Dhaka
    Bangladesh
    January 4, 2022
    World
    Best Director/Documentary Film/European Section
  • 8th Rajasthan International Filmfestival 2022
    Jodhpur
    India
    March 27, 2022
    India
    Best Directors for International Documentary Film
  • 56th Hof International Film Festival 2022
    Hof
    Germany
    October 27, 2022
    European Premiere
    Official Selection for Hof's Feature Documentary Award "Granit"
  • Global Taj International Film Festival 2022
    Agra
    India
    November 12, 2022
    Best Documentary International
  • Dumbo Film Festival 2023
    New York
    United States
    Semi-Finalist
  • Cannes Film Awards 2024
    Cannes
    France
    Finalist
Distribution Information
  • MARILU PICTURES
    Sales Agent
    Country: Spain
    Rights: Internet, Video on Demand, Video / Disc, Free TV, Paid TV
Director Biography - Andrea Elisabeth Rüthlein, Matthias Lukoschek

Andrea Rüthlein
1964 born in Holzkirchen (Bavaria, Germany)
1983 Abitur at the Highschool Tegernsee (Bavaria, Germany)
1983 Study of Biology at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich (LMU) for diploma
1991 internship at Bayerischer Rundfunk/Bavarian Broadcasting Company (BR) during study of master's degree
1991 Graduation: Diplom Biologist
Since 1991 working for Bayerischer Rundfunk/Bavarian Broadcasting Company (BR)
Since 1998 film-maker, producing more than 40 wildlife documentaries for the German Broadcasting Companies BR, ARD, MDR, the French Broadcasting Company ARTE and the Austrian Broadcasting Company ORF
2019 - 2021 Director, Scriptwriter, Producer of the documentary feature film 'Silver Hair Still Rocks' (India, 2019-2022, HD)

Matthias Lukoschek
1953 born in Emden (Germany)
1974 Abitur
1975 Munich Press Training Institute, graduation certificate
1975/76 Camera internship at WDR, Cologne (Germany)
1976/78 State Technical School for Optics and Photographic
technology, Berlin, diploma
1977/84 Camera assistant and cinematographer for film,
television and advertising
1979/83 University for Television and Film (HFF), Munich
Specialization in film and television drama
Graduation: Diplom Film Director
since 1985 cinematographer at Bayerischer Rundfunk, Munich
thereof
1987/89 cinematographer at ARD Studio Rome
1985-2019 shot approx. 100 documentaries with a large share of nature and animal documentaries
since 2019 retired and freelance film-maker
2019 - 2021 Cinematographer, Director, Producer of the documentary feature film 'Silver Hair Still Rocks' (India, 2019-2022, HD)

Filmography
Andrea Rüthlein, filmmaker
Scriptwriter and director of more than 20 nature and wildlife documentaries for the BR series "Welt der Tiere" (running time 30 minutes), filmed in Brazil, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia
Scriptwriter and director of about 20 nature and wildlife documentaries for the broadcast series
"natur exclusiv" (BR), Découverte (ARTE), Universum (ORF), (running time 45-52 minutes)
including
ARTE Découverte/natur exclusiv "Big Five South America: The Anteater" (Brazil, 2012, HD)
ARTE Découverte /natur exclusiv "Big Five South America: The Jaguar" (Brazil, 2012, HD)
ARTE Découverte /natur exclusiv "Expedition Mediterranean - Hunters" (Italy, 2013, HD)
Scriptwriter, director and producer of the documentary feature film 'Silver Hair Still Rocks' (running time 95'50"), shot in India, Goa (2019 - 2022).

Matthias Lukoschek, cinematographer
Shooting of about 100 documentaries for ARD and ARTE with a large share of nature and wildlife documentaries, including the above mentioned documentaries by Andrea Rüthlein
Cinematographer, director and producer of the documentary feature film 'Silver Hair Still Rocks' (running time 95'50"), shot in India, Goa (2019 - 2022)

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Director Statement

For more than 20 years the couple Andrea Rüthlein and Matthias Lukoschek have been working together, creating many international nature and wildlife TV documentaries. Finally producing their documentary feature film 'Silver Hair Still Rocks' fulfilled a long dream from both of them.