The documentary film portrays the Swiss Daniel, who lives in Moldova and specialises in photographing girls aged between 9 and 14. He has caused much controversy with the photos of his models which he sells via the internet.
The film raises questions of how images are used and their effects in a world increasingly dominated by the media. However, it also shows girls’ lives in Moldova’s neighbour Transnistria, which does not officially exist. Modelling is not just an important additional source of income for the girls, but more importantly provides a change from the dullness of everyday life.
CH 2011
Documentary
DigiBeta (16:9)
93 min., colour / b&w
Location: Moldova, Transnistria
Languages: German, English, Russian, Moldovan, French
Subtitles: German, English
The film is a portrait of the Swiss photographer Daniel, who lives in Moldova and specialises in photographing girls. Aged between 9 and 14, most of his models come from the neighbouring splinter state of Transnistria. For many of these girls, living in one of the poorest countries of Europe, their work as a model is not only one of the few ways of escaping from the dreariness of daily life – it is also the only way of keeping their frequently fatherless families afloat.
But the portraits of the girls which Daniel makes and publishes for sale on the internet have drawn criticism.
Daniel too finds himself marginalised and pushed to the edge. In the film he talks about how he deals with his feelings, about prejudice and about his work as a photographer of girls.
The film accompanies Daniel in his daily life and work, and shows his pictures, which make a rather harmless impression on the viewer.
But why then do the guardians of morality think these pictures are dangerous?
The film casts a critical light on issues connected with the effects and instrumentalisation of pictures on the internet, and reflects on the transformation of social standards and values which has led to the result that the sensuous beauty of young girls can no longer be shown or viewed in public.
As well as dealing with these aspects, the film highlights the life situation of the girl models and their families. This extended perspective puts the issues in a larger frame.
Shot on location in Moldova and Transnistria (Pridnestrovia) 2005 – 2011
Edited, produced and directed by
STEFF GRUBER
Photography by
STEFF GRUBER, JÜRG HASSLER
Music composed and conducted by
JIMMY GELHAAR
“Temptation” performed by
ARASH and BLESTJASHIE
Cast in alphabetical order
ALINA NIJELSKAIA
ANA NASUSHNAIA
ANASTASIA STEPNOVA
ANA NEUGODNIKOVA
ANNA BALAN
AURELIA SIMONOVA
CRISTINA MARAHOVSKAYA
DANIEL LEUENBERGER
DOINA SIRBU
EVGEHNIA SATULOVA
GALINA MIKAILOVA
IRINA GLATKOVA
JULIA MAISTRENKO
KATJA NEUGODNIKOVA
LARISA SIRBU
LINDA ZAITSEVA
LUBA VOITETCAIA
LUDMILLA REICH
MARGARITA KUZNETSOVA
MASHA ZAITSEVA
NATALIA NEUGODNIKOVA
OLGA GRITCAN
OLGA STEPNOVA
OXANA DRUMI
ROMINA JURAVSKAIA
SERGEI NEUGODNIKOVA
SILVIA CARAMAN
SVETLANA JURAVSKAIA
SVETLANA REICH
SVETLANA VOITECAIA
TAMARA ZAITEVA
TATIANA GLATKOVA
VERONICA ADRIAN
VICTORIA KUZNETSOVA
VIKA DARANUTSA
VLADA DRUMI
Sirbu house, Chercaieste
TATIANA SIRBU
NICOLAE SIRBU
Wedding guests
ZINA CHISEOLARI
VALENTINA CHISEOLARI
VALENTINA URSAKY
KRISTINA
SERGIU RUSU
Casting in Transnistria
ALEXANDRA GHIULISCHIUT
ALLA GODOROZEA
ALYNA GYRLA
ALYNA KANTSER
ALYNA KRIVONOTNIKOVA
ALYNA URITA
ALYONA KRIVOSHEEVA
ANASTASIA BELENKAYA
ANNA DRAGOY
ANTONYA TRYVOL
CRISTINA KARANJIU
EKATARINA ZARA
ELENA KERDIVARA
IRINA ZAITSEVA
EUGENYA RYAZANOV
KAROLYNA MOKAN
KATJA BOYARSCHEVA
LILIANA MOKAN
LUDMILA KRIVOSHEEVA
OLESYA NASUSHNAYA
OLGA AYLATOVA
TAMARA BUDIGAY
VALENTINA MANOLE
VALERIA KURUNTYUK
YULIA BUDIGAY
YULIA MUNTEAN
ZYNAIDA ANTOCHEL
German Narrator
PETER RICHNER
Produced by
KINO.NET FILMPRODUKTION AG
STEFF GRUBER
Associate Producer
CYRILLE KAZIS
Executive Production Moldova
INOWORKS MOLDOVA SRL
Executive Production Assistant & casting in Transnistria (Pridnestrovia)
LUBA VOITECAIA
Executive Production Switzerland
ALIVE MEDIA AG
Accountant
CLAUDINE HANGARTNER
Line Production / Financing
MEDIA.CH AG
Assistant Diretors & Translators
SILVIA CARAMAN
IRINA ALCAN
MALVINA OLEINIC
CORNELIUS MARTEA
ELENA IAZ
Transcript / Russian Translations
TANIA KARLIN
Transcript / Moldovan Translators
MADALINA CONDREA
Additional Translations
FINETEXT TRANSLATIONS GMBH, Hamburg Germany
Narration Text Development & Research
DIANA BÄRMANN
Narration Text Supervisors
RENE GROSSENBACHER
ANKE FELGENHAUER
YEL KOCH
Postproduction Supervisor
CYRILLE KAZIS
Narration recorded at
KAZIS WORKS, Basel
Postproduction Facility Engineering
TONY LENHERR
Grass Valley Consultant
PETER SCHMID
Pre-Production Assistant
MARTINA BERLI
Law Consultant Moldova
IGOR DOMNICU
Wedding Photographer
CARL WILLIAMS
Hairdresser
TANJA BURUJAN
Pyrotechnic Operator
VALERA REVENCO
Boat-Travelling “Legenda” on Dniester
CAPTAIN GORCEAG VASILE
MECHANIC VLADIMIR FRAI
CAPTAIN VASILII GORCHACK
Driver Moldova / Transnistria
DIMITRI “DIMA” PASECINIC
PAVEL “PASA” DISCULTU
VEACESLAV PAZINA
Accomodation Moldova
HOTEL ELAT, Chisinau
Graphic Design
ANKE FELGENHAUER
All Still Photographs courtesy of
DANIEL LEUENBERGER
DOINA SIRBU
ALEXANDER FRADIS
Thanks to
MONK EVFIMIE, Butuceni Momestizi, Orheiul Vechi
and THE MONKS OF MANASTIREA SAHARNA
www.manastirea-saharna.md
Special thanks to
ANKE FELGENHAUER
RENE GROSSENBACHER
CAROLINE SIPOS
ISABEL REISS
BENI MÜLLER
STASCHA BADER
YEL KOCH
“Passion Despair” composed and conducted by
JIMMY GELHAAR
Copyright 2005-2011 Monster Toons Production
“Cold Night” composed and conducted by
JIMMY GELHAAR
Copyright 2005-2011 Monster Toons Production
“Holydacf” composed and conducted by
JIMMY GELHAAR
Copyright 2005-2011 Monster Toons Production
“Temptation” (Russian version with Blestjashie) performed by
ARASH
© 2005 Warner Music Sweden AB
Courtesy of Warner Music Group Germany Holding GmbH
A Warner Music Group Company
“Temptation” music and text
BURBANK SAMY, GOLD RONNY, GOZLAN SAMY, ZAK ESTER, MAZA LUACES PEDRO, BEJERHOLM JOHAN, UHLMANN ROBERT, LABAF ALEX, TAVAHEN MAX
Copyright by Ascot Music, Flora Musikverlag GmbH
Warner Chapell Music Scandinavia, Copyright Control
Additional Music by the Monks of Manastirea Saharna
HIEROMONK PAISE IPATHE
HIERODEAKON IUVENALIE GHERVAS
HIERODEAKON VARTOLOMEN MUREA
BROTHER SERGHEI CELACU
Copyright 2011 by KINO.NET AG
“Duca” composed and performed by
MARC BÄNTELI and MARCUS WYRSCH
Copyright 2006 (Suisa) produced by Verascope Film
Filmed 16:9 with SONY DVCAM and Sony DV-Consumer-Cameras
Postproduced 2011 at KINO.NET FILMPRODUKTION AG on GRASS VALLEY Soft- and Hardware
Copyright 2011
© by KINO.NET Filmproduktion, Zurich, Switzerland
All rights reserved.
IBAN 0000-0002-035C-000-G-000-000-Q
CH 2011
Documentary
DigiBeta (16:9)
93 min., colour / b&w
Languages: German, English, Russian, Moldovan, French
Subtitles: German, English
PASSION DESPAIR
Press Kit (english)
(PDF – 2.7 Mb)
PASSION DESPAIR
Pressemappe (deutsch)
(PDF – 3.4 Mb)
