Louisa
Louisa is 23 when tests show a total failure of her hearing organs. To her this is not a disaster but rather an occasion to take a decision. Modern medicine could restore her hearing by means of an operation. But does she want this operation with all its risks? Wouldn’t it be just another act of assimilation? Katharina Pethke makes us experience the wealth of our sensual perceptions. You can experience music physically in the vibration of space, understand by reading lips and talk by using sign language. After all, Louisa’s deafness doesn’t mean that she is mute, on the contrary: the young woman with the wild hair is an extremely talkative and moreover stubborn person. A person who communicates differently to the majority also thinks outside of conventions. (Cornelia Klauß, DOK Leipzig)
Director's Biography
Katharina Pethke, born 1979 in Hamburg, Germany. Studied German Language, Literature and Art History in Hamburg from 2001 to 2003, and at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne from 2003 to 2010. Louisa was part of her diploma project, was awarded the Golden Dove at International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film and won the Special German Short Film Award. // Films: ANOPHTALMUS (2005, short), IN LIEBE – BRITTA SCHMIDT (With Love - Britta Schmidt, 2007), IN DIR MUSS BRENNEN (Burning Within, 2009, doc; CE 2010), LOUISA (2011, doc)
European Panorama Documentary 2012
Katharina Pethke
Germany 2011
color
64 minutes
OV with English subtitles / OV with German subtitles
Screenplay Katharina Pethke
Cinematography Katharina Pethke, Bettina Herzner
Editing Daniela Kinateder
Sound/Sounddesign Timo Selengia
Production
Academy of Media Arts Cologne Peter-Welter-Platz 2 50676 Cologne Germany T +49 221 20 189 0 F +49 221 20 189 17 presse@khm.de www.khm.de