Films by Falco Seliger

Germany 2022, 108 min
by Torsten Striegnitz, Simone Dobmeier  

The Joy Of Singing is a music documentary about the beauty of singing together and the longing for community. It follows three choir leaders – star conductor Simon Halsey, vocal coach Judith Kamphues and upcoming Korean conductor Hyunju Kwon – during a time when the need for singing and community becomes their greatest challenge: In their personal lives, in their careers, but also in their tense relationship with the singers. The three take us on an entertaining and encouraging journey between art and social adventure...

2018, 24 min
by Manuel Inacker

To get to the United States, a lot of migrants from Central America jump on a freight train known as La Bestia, or “The Beast.” This well-balanced student film was made entirely at the migrants’ stopover Casa del Migrante, in the Mexican town of Huehuetoca. Casa del Migrante provides a temporary safe haven for the migrants to rest on their journey. A slogan on the wall reads “No wall can hold back dreams,” and there’s also a priest to offer comfort and encouragement. When the time comes for the migrants to leave the accommodation, there’s no turning back.Director Manuel Inacker avoids any sentimentality or political statement, and just listens to their stories. One of the young men was shot at by the maras, the gangs operating in Central America, and is now fleeing for safety. The tense and dramatic final scene, in which two men try to jump on the train, illustrates the grim reality of twenty-year-olds who will risk their lives for a better future. Sadly, most will never reach their dream destination. (IDFA)

Germany 2015, 52 min
by Ralf Pleger

An emotionally charged psychograph of the most famous Russian composer on the occasion of his 175th birthday in May, 2015The film radically transfers Peter Tchaikovsky into the present time and draws an emotional psychological portrait. Tchaikovsky’s fate, being at the mercy of a homophobic environment as a gay man, comes up for current discussion. Additionally, renowned international artists and experts reveal their very personal approach to Tchaikovsky and his music.Tchaikovsky is regarded as Russia’s most famous composer. Works like “Swan Lake”, “Eugene Onegin” and the Symphony no. 6 “Pathétique” are among his global triumphs. He is celebrated as a national hero. And Tchaikovsky was gay – then as now a taboo in Russia.With a radical cinematic artifice Tchaikovsky’s adventures are translated into the here and now. The composer’s struggle with his homosexuality, the serious consequences of his crisis, the fusion of life and work and the mysterious circumstances of his death are retold within modern scenarios. Not only Tchaikovsky’s fate, but also his artistic legacy is confronted with the present. The contemporary relevance of his case is taken into account as well as the – often underestimated – avant-garde quality of his music.The film is based on interviews with leading international artists and experts, including the Russian ballet star Vladimir Malakhov, the American organ virtuoso and eccentric Cameron Carpenter. The dance and musical creations of these artists stand for a very original and contemporary treatment of Tchaikovsky’s works. In the interviews, the protagonists reveal their personal and sometimes very emotional access to Tchaikovsky and his music. Supported by the biographer Philip Bullock and the Tchaikovsky researcher Kadja Grönke, the film initiates an exciting and insightful debate on Tchaikovsky’s topicality.Director Ralf Pleger is one of the most prominent German directors in the field of classical music. He has been honored for his work with numerous awards. Most recently, he has realized the films “The Beethoven Files” and “The Wagner Files“ with the gebrueder beetz filmproduktion. „The Wagner Files“ won the Audience Award at the World Film Festival in Montreal and was nominated for the International Emmy Award in 2014.