There is a special place in the film world for pieces that bring forward real issues and events in global society. For the 15th Festival will be grabbing hold of the city in March, with documentaries from around the world that are creative, captivating and most important of all – thought provoking.
But it’s not all about film at Tempo, as program director Melissa Lindgren explains to us. “Tempo is a cross-disciplinary festival. Even though the film program represents the main part of the program, we also showcase documentary radio, photo, transmedia projects and performances with a documentary base. This unique mix of genres makes us one of a kind in the world.” Since the transmedia and performance sections are new to the festival a lot of time and effort has gone into perfecting these new aspects.
“Starting up the transmedia section has been my baby for a few years now so I’m very exited about that! We have an amazing transmedia lounge that will be set up at Debaser Strand in which people can see and experience all the fantastic projects that we have hand-picked.”
Melissa also lets in on one of her favourite films that will be competing for the Stefan Jarl International Documentary Award. “I think the film to watch out for is My Love Awaits Me By The Sea by a new talented Jordanian director, Mais Darwazah. But we have some of our own documentaries that we think will leave a mark too.”
Three examples from the menu on offer
Death Metal Angola
Music & Arts
Director: Jeremy Xido
Producers: Jeremy Xido & Joe Castelo
Jeremey Xido brings us into the world of Sonia Ferriera and her boyfriend Wilker Flores who uses the healing power of death metal in one of its most unlikely settings. Sonia heads an orphanage located in Huambo, Angola, where she cares for children that have suffered the horrible effects of war and conflict. The two find expression in rock music, which provides an outlet for pain, personal battles and deep emotions.
Bikes vs. Cars
Work In Progress
Director: Frederik Gertten
Producers: Margarete Jangård
Rising fuel prices and increasing environmental awareness can only do so much. The one billion cars of today are estimated to grow into two billion by 2020. At the same time the rise and rise of bicycle use in western cities continues unabated, with Copenhagen and Amsterdam as the ideal examples.
The two lifestyle models go head to head in Fredrik Gertten’s new film where he explores the new bike movement and who it is up against while giving plenty of examples of the drama that surrounds traffic globally. “Roads are built for buses, cars and trucks. Not for people on bikes,” Rob Ford says with a lisp in a clip from a while back. He is Toronto’s mayor who almost made a career on stopping “the war against cars” – luckily, after the scandals of public drunkenness and being caught buying crack cocaine, no one takes him seriously anymore.
All We Have Is Now
Work In Progress
Director: Alexandra Dahlström
Producers: Göran Hugo Olsson
All We Have Is Now is a documentary piece that puts the spotlight on our youth and the crossover into adulthood. Actress and filmmaker Alexandra Dahlström directs and she follows three childhood friends – Cissi Efraimsson, Lisa Pyk Wirström and Rebecka Rolfart – who we know from the bands Those Dancing Days and Vulkano, through pretty much everything they do. It takes us as far afield as London and Los Angeles but the bulk of the action takes place right here in Stockholm.
Words by Angela Markovic
Tempo Documentary Film Festival will both provoke and cuddle your mind between 4-9 of March across nine venues on Södermalm plus Moderna Museet.
