Project Description

Living five years for the NEW WORLD. 

Kümmel Goes East

Video on Demand:
Streaming & Download

Video on Demand:
Polska wersja / Polish Version

“Kümmel Goes East” – living five years for a shopping centre. Five years with its developers and local residents. Five years between Germany and Poland. Five years until the dawn of the NEW WORLD.

“Kümmel buduje” – pięć lat życia dla centrum handlowego. Pięć lat wraz z inwestorami budowlanymi i mieszkańcami. Pięć lat pomiędzy Niemcami i Polską. Pięć lat do NOWEGO ŚWIATA.

Hermann Kümmel building a school house in Nicaragua. That was in the ‘80s. Today the born Hessian is working in Rzeszów, east Poland. He’s building the NEW WORLD shopping centre. At Kümmel’s side stands Polish manager Viola Wojnowski, who negotiates with trade partners and financiers. But she doesn’t want to continue living in Poland – she’s having her dream house built in the German capital. Investor and art collector Dr. Erich Marx works in the background.

The shopping centre project is controversial amongst inhabitants of the local prefab estate where it is to be built. But contracts have been finalised and construction vehicles are rolling in.

Director Paul Hadwiger and his team followed the creation of the shopping centre over five years. He encounters developers and inhabitants, pursues their stories. Despite their differences, all concerned are united by one question – that of how one wishes to live.

director: Paul Hadwiger
genre: theatrical documentary
duration: 92 min.
format: HDCAM

Poster_KUEMMEL_BAUT
original title Kümmel baut
year 2005-2011
with Hermann Kümmel | Viola Wojnowski | Antoni Adamski | Krzysztof Madej | Franciszek Kołodziej | Dr. Erich Marx | and more
idea Pauld Hadwiger | Silvio Naumann
written by Paul Hadwiger | Doreen Rechin
director Paul Hadwiger
photography Anne Misselwitz | Paul Hadwiger
sound | sound mix Silvio Naumann
montage Rune Schweitzer
fine-cut Kristine Langner
composers Denis Moritz | Eike Hosenfeld | Tim Stanzel
music performed by Tilmann Ehrhorn (sax) | Ray Würzebesser (cello) | Jason Liebert (trombone)
foleys Zofia Moruś
titles and graphics Joachim Bartsch
color correction Nico Danschke
post-production BASISBerlin | Cine Chromatix | Elsa Kampen | Pirates ‘n Paradise | Rise FX | Soundgrain
post-production maxim film Manfred Hielscher
translators Michalina Gawelek | Anna Pukajło | Aleksandra Kwiatkowska | Anna Bauerochse | Babelfisch Translations | u.a.
production office Andrea Kuserau | Jana Drescher
research supported by HFF „Konrad Wolf“ and DAAD
funded by BKM | Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg | Filmstiftung NRW | Filmbüro Bremen
commissioning editors Birgit Mehler (rbb) | Beate Schönfeldt (MDR)
producer Peter Roloff
production maxim film in co-operation with rbb and MDR
Director’s Statement
First nothing but fallow land, then the NEW WORLD grows irresistibly. We headed off again and again. After weeks at home in Berlin, far from our location, our protagonists, and their daily struggles with the shopping centre, we’d once again drive off without knowing what to expect on location. I enjoyed the adventure. In time the subject of work became ever-more the focus of my own work as a director. Very different people, some of whom didn’t know each other at all, very different preceding histories – all are united by work keeping them afloat. Financially and intellectually. Work always defines people at the point where they do not themselves define their work. But does this also go for people who doesn’t want to define themselves through their work? It’s ironic that it is only the priest who remains unimpressed by the NEW WORLD being built next to his church.

Film Clubs Tours in Ukraine, Romania and Poland
A project by German Documentaries, curated by Ira Kormannshaus,
initiated by AG DOK – Arbeitsgemeinschaft Dokumentarfilm, subtitling financially supported by german films
2018

“Vasari” Architecture Festival
Nizhnyi Novgorod , Russia
September 2016

Film Clubs Tour in Russia
with director Paul Hadwiger
October 16, 2015 – Petersburg, Kino Rodina, ul. Karavannaya 12
October 17, 2015 – Yaroslawl, Kamernyi teatr
October 18, 2015 – Noginsk, Dom Khudozhnika, ul. Klimova 35
October 20, 2015 – Moscow, Elektro teatr Stanislavskij, ul. Tverskaya 23
A project by German Documentaries, curated by Ira Kormannshaus,
initiated by AG DOK – Arbeitsgemeinschaft Dokumentarfilm, subtitling financially supported by german films

Premiere
Film Festival Max Ophüls Award
Saarbrücken, Germany
January 21, 2011

Berlin premiere

achtung berlin – new berlin film award
April 18, 2011

Babel Festiwal

Lodz – Villa Grohmann
August 4, 2011

Fundaziun NAIRS

Scuol, Switzerland
August 29, 2011

Intern. Leipzig Festival for Documentary Film
Mittwoch, 19. Oktober 2011
Leipzig, Germany

Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival

November 13, 2011
Kassel, Germany

Rzeszów premiere
WDK – Wojewódzki Dom Kultury
November 27, 2011
Rzeszów, Poland

Lubuskie Lato Filmowe, Poland
July 2012

Video on Demand:
English version

Video on Demand:
Polska wersja / Polish Version

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