A 50 Minute programme showing 5 films:
Below a trailer and lower down the descriptions of the films that are part of the Featured Programme.
PUKYONG University Korea
PKNU Project Team for community business in Xiang Muak Village, Northern Laos.
Apart from creating a film showing the Korean students at work in the village of Xiang Muak, we also worked on the printed material needed to advertise the new activities in the village. We took lots of photographs and I was involved in some of the creative direction. Paul Bloxham was responsible for all the design of the printed material.
This project was not only about helping the village and introducing ways of creating a sustainable economy but also about giving the students from the Pukyong university a chance to work in the field and gain experience.
I think they did a great job considering the time constraints and the difficult environment.
Below some samples of the printed work.
The video is in Korean. The project is introduced by the project leader and the students talk about their responsibilities and experiences while in the field.
Direction and Photography by Adri Berger
extra photography and edit by Ka Xiong
Special thanks to Sunhee
Graphic Design by Paul Bloxham
Soundtrack from Premiumbeat
Chris after surgery
Chris lived down the road, a friend who apart from his high powered corporate job also ran a shop with beautiful vintage and antiques with his partner Anthony. Early in 2012 he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He suddenly fell ill and had to have emergency surgery as the cancer had spread to his brain. He responded incredibly well to the initial treatment. After he came back home for a short while I asked him to sit for me and let me take his portrait and he agreed. He was his jovial self and very optimistic about his chances. The portrait above was the one I picked as it expressed his state quite well. The portrait below was the one I worked on first and sent to him. He wrote back and below the image you can find his writing. The image above received an honourable mention in the PX3 awards this year 2013.
‘It’s interesting as the portrait looks less gloomy / scary than I expected and I am not sure, if you didn’t know about the scar, that you would notice it…or not at first anyway…
What catches my eye is all the different textures and nuances of “colour”, the mottling on the wall which echoes the mottling around the scar, the bars from the back of the bench, the black lines on the wall which kind of link up with the lines of the arms, and then the light catching all the folds in the T shirt are all really interesting…
I need to spend some more time looking at it more carefully as I am sure there is lot more to see in there…’
Chris Groocock
He sadly lost the battle and passed away in September 2012.
Crossing the Mekong
Toi talks about his daily life operating a ferry on the Mekong river in Luang Prabang. There are several in operation and they take turns in helping people cross this fast moving waterway from the town to the district on the other side.
Sponsored by Big Tree Cafe
www.bigtreecafe.com
Sponsored by Big Tree Cafe
www.bigtreecafe.com
Dok Chit’s story
This film was made for Save the Children. The story is a case study about an actual event that took place around three years ago in Nan district in Northern Laos where the organisation is active.
Filmed and Directed by Adri Berger
Camera assistant and edit by Ka Xiong
Thanks to Louise Sampson and Save the Children for all input and help.
And special thanks to all the people in Ban Houayhoy Village in Nan District, Luang Prabang province.
London Eco Film Festival
On May 12th, 2013 the first London Eco Film Festival takes place in the Rich Mix event space.
http://www.richmix.org.uk
Links for the organisers:
http://www.whalenation.org/
http://www.slieff.org
I’ll be showing projects I have worked on over the last few years in Laos:
SCREENING
Title: Free the Bears (directed and produced by Adri Berger)
7.30 minutes documentary featuring Jude Osborne and Jane Clegg
Made for Free the Bears, an Australian NGO set up to rescue the Asian Black Bear. This film shows the rescue centre in Luang Prabang, Laos and through interviews gives an insight into the murky world of bile farming and other practises undermining the existence of this now endangered species.
directed and produced by Adri Berger
Production Assistence by Ka Xiong
http://www.freethebears.org
Title: Song of the Lao Elephant
50 minute documentary made for KBS (Korea Broadcast Systems)
Directed and written by: Hyun Cheol Son, KBS
Director of Photography: Adri Berger.
Produced in Laos by Adri Berger and Sebastien Duffillot.
Local production assitance by Ka Xiong.
Produced by © KBS Korea Broadcasting Systems 2012
This documentary shows the imminent disaster facing the Asian Elephant in Laos. The numbers are swiftly decreasing and this film shows the challenges to preserve this species. It shows the hardship of logging elephants in the Lao Jungle and follows one old mahout, showing his elephant’s predicament.
The film was made for Korean Broadcast Systems as part of their environment specials.
Korean Narration with English subtitles. More useful information on the subject: http://www.elefantasia.org
Below the Trailer for the 50 minute doc SONG of the LAO ELEPHANT
During the festival a cross section our work will also be shown in the
FEATURED SECTION:
Voices from Laos
Length: 15 minutes.
Showing a food security program, set up by CESVI an NGO from Italy, in Phonexay District, Northern Laos, through interviews with the project leader and locals.
Chit’s story
Length: 3 Minutes
A case study showing the impact of Save the Children in Northern Laos.
The short films tells the story of a midwife and how she recued a newborn from potential death durng child birth. Chit was recued and the midwife goes over the reasons as to why she was able to rescue the little baby.
Portraits from Luang Prabang
Length: 20 minutes Format: HD
Short description;
The film incorporates interviews with local people to create a ‘window’ on Luang Prabang in Laos from a different perspective. Many visitors see the traditional arts and culture of Luang Prabang when they buy souvenirs, go to a show or visit museums. However they don’t often get to see how these traditions are kept alive by the people who work as local artisans and in small village industries. This film goes behind the scenes and depicts a vital part of life in Luang Prabang. We created simple ‘moving’ portraits (vignettes) of the people who are the heartbeat of this small heritage town in SE Asia.
Way of the Mahout
Length: 5 Minutes
The film takes us to the Elephant Conservation Center in Sayaboury Province, Laos.
In the story the beauty of the animal is central and explains what the Center stands for. Since this film was made the practise of riding elephants was abandoned.
The Centre in Sayaboury:
For more information about the Elephant Conservation Centre please visit their website HERE
ElefantAsia Mobile Clinic
A mission to see the new born baby elephant in Hongsa District, Laos. Not many new elephants are born each year so to see and film this 4 day young very cute baby was an amazing experience. We interviewed the Elephant Asia veterinarians who run many clinics around Laos looking after the health of these majestic animals.
Film by Adri Berger
Edit by Ka Xiong
Stills by Adri Berger and Ka Xiong
www.elefantasia.org
www.elephantconservationcenter.com
Luang Prabang Film Festival
Dec 1st until Dec 5th
The SE Asian film festival kicks of on the 1st of December and for more detailed information and a program please check the website;
http://luangprabangfilmfestival.org/
We are showing some of my own work in T’Shop Lai gallery:
Portraits from Luang Prabang
Free the Bears
Song of the Lao Elephant (made for KBS TV in Korea)
Please contact us for more information; info@adriberger.com
Poster design by Paul Bloxham
International Photography Awards
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
2012 International Photography Awards Announces Winners of the Competition
Adri Berger was awarded in the International Photography Awards Competition. International Photography Awards (IPA) has announced the winners of 2012’s competition.
Adri Berger was Awarded: Honorable Mention in Moving Images – Moving Images category for the winning entry “Portrait of an Abbot.”
About the Winner:
Adri Berger is a photographer with over 20 years experience of shooting commercial assignments across the world for a wide range of international clients. His impressive client list includes: multinational corporations, international publications, press associations and high profile arts organizations.
He is based in Laos and works for clients around SE Asia with a base in Bangkok, as well as for clients further afield. His interests have expanded over recent years into the realm of video and film and to see some of this work please click here: www.adriberger.com/films
ABOUT IPA:
The 2012 International Photography Awards received nearly 18,000 submissions from 104 countries across the globe. IPA is a sister-effort of the Lucie Foundation, where the top three winners are announced at the annual Lucie Awards gala ceremony. The Foundation’s mission is to honor master photographers, to discover new and emerging talent and to promote the appreciation of photography. Since 2003, IPA has had the privilege and opportunity to acknowledge and recognize contemporary photographer’s accomplishments in this specialized and highly visible competition. Visit www.photoawards.com
Adri Berger
info@adriberger.com
IPA Contact
Jade Tran
Competition Director
International Photography Awards
jtran@iawardsinc.com
Portraits from Luang Prabang
Over the last few months we have been working on a film incorporating interviews with local people to create a ‘window’ on Luang Prabang in Laos from a different perspective. Many visitors see the traditional arts and culture of Luang Prabang when they buy souvenirs, go to a show or visit museums. However they don’t often get to see how these traditions are kept alive by the people who work as local artisans and in small village industries. This film goes behind the scenes and depicts a vital part of life in Luang Prabang. We created simple ‘moving’ portraits of the people who are the heartbeat of this small heritage town in SE Asia.
https://vimeo.com/48537515
Direction and Photography by Adri Berger
Creative direction by Paul Bloxham
To read more about how the drawings were done, click here.
Additional steadicam work by Rob van Gelder
Music by Michael Bishop
Offline editor: KA Xiong
Online editor: Adri Berger
Portrait of an Abbot – IPA Awarded
Adri Berger was awarded in the International Photography Awards Competition. International Photography Awards (IPA) has announced the winners of 2012’s competition.
Adri Berger was Awarded: Honorable Mention in Moving Images – Moving Images category for the winning entry “Portrait of an Abbot.”
Creative direction by Paul Bloxham
www.photoawards.com
Over the last few months we have been working on a film incorporating interviews with local people to create a ‘window’ on Luang Prabang in Laos from a different perspective. Many visitors see the traditional arts and culture of Luang Prabang when they buy souvenirs, go to a show or visit museums. However they don’t often get to see how these traditions are kept alive by the people who work as local artisans and in small village industries. This film goes behind the scenes and depicts a vital part of life in Luang Prabang. We created simple ‘moving’ portraits of the people who are the heartbeat of this small heritage town in SE Asia. ‘Portrait of an Abbot’ is part of the longer 20 minute film but is here presented as a stand alone vignette and shows the Abbot of Wat Xieng Thong at work.
Direction and Photography by Adri Berger
Creative direction by Paul Bloxham
To read more about how the drawings were done, click here.
Additional steadicam work by Rob van Gelder
Music by Michael Bishop
Offline editor: KA Xiong
Online editor: Adri Berger