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THE BEAUTY OF MY ISLAND – SHOOTING KLAUS LUTZ
directed by Frank Matter, documentary, 33 min., Switzerland/USA 1999
«... a fascinating portrait of a truly original artist.» The New York Times

Swiss artist Klaus Lutz is a unique filmmaker. In his works, he creates a visual universe completely his own. Reminiscent of Chaplin or Méliès, his films tell adventure stories about a little man in a strange and lonely world. The protagonist flies over big, imaginary cities, walks through intrastellar space, and interacts with props, signs and anthropomorphic drawnings.
Simultaneously director, camera operator, actor, set and costume designer, Lutz is shooting his films in his tiny East Village apartment. His film language and the complex technological means he uses to tell his stories are the result of a life-long, meticulous investigation. Lutz is working with double and triple exposures, a wide variety of distorting and spheric lenses, balloons, pneumatic devices, rear projection, and turntables. There is no editing: the film is totally created in the camera. In «The Beauty of My Island – Shooting Klaus Lutz» director Frank Matter is observing how the artist shoots one of his 16mm films.
 
Production: soap factory GmbH Basel
Directed & shot by Frank Matter
With Klaus Lutz
Original version without dialogues, MiniDV/Beta SP
World sales: soap factory GmbH Basel
Premieres:
Switzerland – Helmhaus, Zurich, 12/16/99
USA – Conduit Digital Festival, Austin TX, USA 3/12/00