Erie International Film Festival - Gravity
The film tells the story of a small refugee boy. During his flight to Germany he undergoes different situations which are embossed by loss and solitude, fear and hope.
Interview with Writer and illustrator Katharina Potratz
Watch Gravity here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thank you. I met Julian Friedrich about two years ago when the refugee crisis was at its top in the news. He asked me to create a music video together, I needed a project for my master thesis and this is how we started. Both wanting to tell not just any story but a story that would have a small impact on people.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
You should watch this film because we are telling our story about a refugee boy in a very emotional and sensitive way, without pointing at or blaming anybody.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
When we started this project there where so many refugees coming to Germany and to our city. People collecting clothes for them, camps for the arriving at the central station… You could not not meet them. At the same time though there was a lot of hate and fear within the society. As I talked to some of the refugees they told me stories about how they got here that I couldn’t even imagine. This is why the film got really personal in the end. I wanted to tell the story of those who came here and show that they where just human beings as we all are, with the same feelings.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
We started off with a more simple script. During our work, still meeting and talking to refugees we heard more and more stories. Unimaginable things they experienced that we felt the need to add at least some of them to our story.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
We’ve got really good feedback. Most people who saw the film were very touched by our story.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It was my goal to touch people, move them in any kind of way and it worked. It still surprises me that it works so well.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Getting more visibility, a bigger audience, more people we can reach with our film. That's what I hope to achieve.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Anyone who shares the same view, who is able to give our film a larger audience is welcome.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
By addressing the audience's emotions I am hoping to have a small impact on how they meet other people, especially foreigners. I would like to see people think and talk about this very important topic again, maybe even rethink.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
A question I was asking myself many times during this project was, how would I feel having to leave everything and everyone I’ve known behind?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Julian is currently working on different music videos. Ours has been the first music video for his Second Truth project, an international short film concert series which connects international artists. (http://second-truth.com)
I am currently working on different illustration projects of which one will be a children’s book.
Interview: December 2017
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
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Gravity
The film tells the story of a small refugee boy. During his flight to Germany he undergoes different situations which are embossed by loss and solitude, fear and hope.
Length: 7 minutes
Writer: Julian Friedrich and Katharina Potratz
Illustration: Katharina Potratz
Music: Julian Friedrich
About the writer, director and producer:
Julian Friedrich: Born in March 1976 as the only son between the German actor couple Gundi Ellert and Daniel Friedrich. Growing up between Berlin, Munich and Düsseldorf in a theatre family, Julian Friedrich started out as an actor himself. He switched to music at the age of twenty. Record contract with an indie label, many years of work in the advertising music industry. 2017 Start of the international short film initiative "Second Truth".
Katharina Potratz: Born in Hamburg in October 1988, Katharina Potratz studied illustration in her home city at the University of Applied Sciences as well as the Academia di Belle Arti di Bologna. She began her work as a freelance illustrator four years ago parallel to her Master studies, which she graduated this year with the film 01. (More of her work here: katharinapotratz.de)
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):
Social media handles:
Facebook: facebook.com/secondtruthinitiative/
Twitter: twitter.com/SecondTruthProj
Other: second-truth.com
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
Our film is currently submitted to several different film festivals all over the world. We are planning to release it at the end of 2018.