Olli is having hard times at home. His mother prohibits his gum chewing; his sister gets everything she wants and his father’s disciplinary measures bring no comfort.
When it’s all too much Olli flees to the street and uses his will and imagination in a great escape to get away from the city.
Olli moves from closure to the open space then from weight to weightlessness, in order to be free from them all.
AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
2005 OLLI (Tragic Comedy -10 min – 35mm)
Best Foreign Film, FIC Mostoles International Short Film Festival, Madrid
Deutsch Filmbewertungsstelle Prädikat “besonders wertvoll” & FBW Short film of the month – (German Film Rating Board: Especially Significant Commendation)
Honorable Mention Next Reel Film Festival, New York
Honorable Mention Jutro Film Festival Warsaw, Poland
Honorable Mention Festival of Nations Ebensee, Austria
Honorable Mention Etudia & Anima Festival Krakow Poland
Honorable Mention Sleepwalkers Film Festival, Tallin Estonia
Jury-Begründung
Prädikat besonders wertvoll
Kindheitstristesse in einer chaotischen Wohnung mit einer chaotischen Familie ohne Zuwendung und Verständnis – das ist das Leben des kleinen Olli. Er flüchtet unter sein Hochbett und in Kaugummi-Träume mit großen schillernden Blasen. Mit wenigen Szenen wird die kaputte Familie skizziert, in der Olli eigentlich wie ein Fremder wirkt. Die Mutter kümmert sich nur um die wesentlich ältere Schwester, der Vater ist erschöpft und grantig, die Schwester selbstsüchtig. Kein Herz für Kinder also, obgleich Olli sich seinen Kaugummi-Nachschub aus einem Automaten holt, auf dem just dieser Slogan prangt.
Aber der kleine Film, bei dem Tempo, Ausleuchtung, Interieurs und Ton bestens aufeinander abgestimmt sind, endet überraschend. Olli entschwebt dem sozialen Elend, der trüben Umwelt und der familiären Misere an der riesigen roten Blase, die er seinem neuen Kaugummis entlockt. Ein schönes, poetisches Ende, das, der Realität enthoben, Raum für Kinoträume zulässt.
Background info:
Olli is the debut film for Sam Scollin playing the lead role of Olli. Sam is of German/Australian nationality and grew up surrounded by theater with his parents who both work as actors and directors in their company “Platypus Theater”.
The film was shot in Berlin Germany, in the old East. For the films final “flight” sequence the director Jack Rath, producer Jens Freels and cinematographer Thomas Hübener were faced with a great challenge. Not wishing to use digital effects for reasons of artistic merit the team produced all the special effects used in the film with analogue methods. The music for the film, composed by Enis Rotthoff, fell under the same guidelines and was recorded with a live orchestra.
The setting of Olli’s home was created by production designer Imke Thun, who built the interior sets entirely from scratch in a vacant house located in East Berlin.
Thematically she has placed special emphasis on round objects throughout the film. Much time was spent in the sound post-production of the film, which is complex, rich and at times a collage. Surround sound is used for full effect in order to achieve Olli’s point of view.