12/04/2010

After a first phase lasting two weeks at the end of October 2009, Wim Wenders today starts the second leg of shooting on his documentary project about famous German choreographer Pina Bausch.

Originally a joint project between the Tanztheater founder and the German filmmaker, Pina has become, after Bausch’s sudden death, a homage to her work by the Wuppertaler Tanztheater troupe.

After the experience of making Il Volo (“Flight”), a documentary about the revolt by African farm workers in Calabria, the director reaffirms his belief that "3D is part of the future of documentaries" (see news). Indeed, the captivating gestures and movements invented by Pina will be magnified onscreen thanks to 3D technology.

Last autumn, Wenders filmed three of Bausch's works – "Café Müller" (1978), "Das Frühlingsopfer" (1975) and "Vollmond" (2006) – when they were performed by the troupe before an audience, on stage at the Wuppertal Opera House (in North Rhine-Westphalia). Having converted these images into 3D, the director will this week film another of Bausch’s works dating back to 1978, “Kontakthof”, this time without an audience and with the collaboration not only of professional dancers but also teenagers and elderly people.

Shooting will then continue until April 24 in different landscapes (railway tracks, natural surroundings, industrial landscapes...) near Wuppertal, with different members of the troupe.

Pina is produced by Neue Road Movies in co-production with Paris-based Eurowide. The film also has backing from ZDF, Arte and Pictorion Das Werk. It is expected to be released on German screens by NFP in 2011.

(Translated from French)