Film Archive
Journey To Kafiristan, The (Reise nach Kafiristan, Die)
In 1939, the author Annemarie Schwarzenbach and the ethnologist Ella Maillart travel together by car to Kabul, but each is in pursuit of her own project. Annemarie Schwarzenbach, who was among Erika and Klaus Mann's circle of friends in the 30s, is searching for a place of refuge in the Near East to discover her own self. Ella Maillart justifies her restlessness, her need for movement and travel, with a scientific pretext: she would like to explore the mysterious Kafiristan Valley and make a name for herself with publications on the archaic life of the nomads living there. Both women are on the run, but political developments and their own biographies catch up with them again and again. Their mutual journey through the outside world, which runs from Geneva via the Balkans and Turkey to Persia, is compounded by the inner world of emotions with a tender love story. As both women arrive in Kabul, World War II breaks out and puts an end to their plans.
Donatello Dubini was born in 1955 in Zurich. He pursued Film Studies at the Film Academy in Vienna from 1975-1977, followed by studies of Drama, Film and Television Studies at the University of Cologne. He was a member of the Film Collective Zurich from 1977-1979 and is also a member of the filmmakers' and distributors' initiative "Der Andere Blick". Together with his brother Fosco, their films include: Blindgaenger (1983), Ueber mir der Himmel, unter mir ein schwarzes Loch (1984), The Disappearance of Ettore Majorana (Das Verschwinden des Ettore Majorana, 1986), Klaus Fuchs - Atom Spy (Klaus Fuchs - Atomspion, documentary, 1989), J.K. - Experience in Dealing with One's Own Ego (J.K. - Erfahrungen im Umgang mit dem eigenen Ich, documentary, 1991), Ludwig 1881 (1993), Jean Seberg - American Actress (documentary, 1995), The Journey to Kafiristan (Die Reise nach Kafiristan, 2001), Thomas Pynchon - A Journey into the Mind of P. (documentary, 2001), and Hedy Lamarr - secrets of a Hollywood Star (2006).Fosco Dubini was born in 1954 in Zurich. From 1975 - 1981, he studied Drama, Film and Television at the University of Cologne. From 1977-79, he was a member of the Film Collective Zurich. Since 1991, he has been an instructor at the ESAV Ecole Supérieure d'Art Visuel in Geneva. Together with his brother Dontatello, their films include: Blindgaenger (1983), Ueber mir der Himmel, unter mir ein schwarzes Loch (1984), The Disappearance of Ettore Majorana (Das Verschwinden des Ettore Majorana, 1986), Klaus Fuchs - Atom Spy (Klaus Fuchs - Atomspion, documentary, 1989), J.K. - Experience in Dealing with One's Own Ego (J.K. - Erfahrungen im Umgang mit dem eigenen Ich, documentary, 1991), Ludwig 1881 (1993), Jean Seberg - American Actress (documentary, 1995), The Journey to Kafiristan (Die Reise nach Kafiristan, 2001), Thomas Pynchon - A Journey into the Mind of P. (documentary, 2001), and Hedy Lamarr - secrets of a Hollywood Star (2006).
Category Feature Film Cinema
Year of Production 2001
Director Donatello Dubini, Fosco Dubini
Screenplay Donatello Dubini, Fosco Dubini, Barbara Marx
Director of Photography Matthias Kaelin
Editor Christel Maye
Music by Jan Garbarek, Wolfgang Hamm, Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, Madredeus
Production Design Gudrun Roscher
Producers Donatello Dubini, Fosco Dubini
Production Company Dubini Filmproduktion/Cologne, in co-production with Artcam The Netherlands/Arnhem, Tre Valli Filmproduktion/Zurich, in association with ARTE/Strasbourg, ZDF/Mainz
Principal Cast Jeanette Hain, Nina Petri
Length 100 min, 2,900 m
Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85
Original Version German
Subtitled Versions English, French
Sound Technology Dolby SR, Stereo
Festival Screenings Locarno 2001 (Piazza), Hamburg 2001, Nouveau Cinéma Montreal 2001, International Film Festival of India 2001, Lesbisch Schwule Filmtage Hamburg 2001, Sao Paulo 2001, Gothenburg 2001, Rotterdam 2002, Mar de Plata 2002, Jerusalem 2002
Awards International Independent Film Critics' Award 2001
With backing from FilmFoerderung Hamburg, Filmbuero NW, Filmfoerderung Berlin-Brandenburg, Filmfoerderung Zuerich, Suissimage, Eurimages
World Sales
Media Luna New Films
Ida Martins
Aachener Strasse 24
50674 Cologne/Germany
phone +49-2 21-51 09 18 91
fax +49-2 21-51 09 18 99
email: info@medialuna.biz
http://www.medialuna.biz