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.
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 
PX3 AWARDS, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 02, 2012 Prix de la Photographie Paris Competition Announces its 2012 Winners
Adri Berger received Silver and Bronze awards in the 2012 Prix de la Photographie Paris competition, which received thousands of entries from over 85 countries. He received Silver in catagory PRESS / Nature and Environmental, for his entry titled: BURNING CHARCOAL. He also received a Bronze in catagory Portraiture / Culture, for his entry titled: BATHING, NORTHERN LAOS.
Px3 is juried by top international decision-makers in the photography industry: Carol Johnson, Curator of Photography of Library of Congress, Washington D.C.; Gilles Raynaldy, Director of Purpose, Paris; Viviene Esders, Expert près la Cour d’Appel de Paris; Mark Heflin, Director of American Illustration + American Photography, New York; Sara Rumens, Lifestyle Photo Editor of Grazia Magazine, London; Françoise Paviot, Director of Galerie Françoise Paviot, Paris; Chrisitine Ollier, Art Director of Filles du Calvaire, Paris; Natalie Johnson, Features Editor of Digital Photographer Magazine, London; Natalie Belayche, Director of Visual Delight, Paris; Kenan Aktulun, VP/Creative Director of Digitas, New York; Chiara Mariani, Photo Editor of Corriere della Sera Magazine, Italy; Arnaud Adida, Director of Acte 2 Gallery/Agency, Paris; Jeannette Mariani, Director of 13 Sévigné Gallery, Paris; Bernard Utudjian, Director of Galerie Polaris, Paris; Agnès Voltz, Director of Chambre Avec Vues, Paris; and Alice Gabriner, World Picture Editor of Time Magazine, New York.
ABOUT Px3:
The “Prix de la Photographie Paris” (Px3) strives to promote the appreciation of photography, to discover emerging talent, and introduce photographers from around the world to the artistic community of Paris. Winning photographs from this competition are exhibited in a high-profile gallery in Paris and published in the high-quality, full-color Px3 Annual Book.
For Press Inquiries: info@px3.fr
Contact Adri Berger: hello@adriberger.net
Silver in Press, Nature & Environment
Bronze in Portraiture & Culture
Black and White Spider Awards Honors Photographer
Awards Nominee; Fine Art - Nude - Sport
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
BLACK AND WHITE SPIDER AWARDS HONORS PHOTOGRAPHER
ADRI BERGER FROM THE NETHERLANDS
LONDON June 12, 2012- Photographer Adri Berger of the Netherlands was presented with the 7th Annual Black and White Spider Awards Nomimee in the categories of FINE ART, NUDE and SPORT at the prestigious Nomination & Winners PhotoShow. The live online ceremony webcast Saturday, June 9, 2012 was attended by photography fans in 72 countries who logged on to see the climax of the industry’s most important event for black and white photography.
The awards international Jury included captains of the industry from National Geographic, Fratelli Alinari, Heffel Fine Art to the Tate in London who honored Spider Fellows with 180 coveted title awards and 875 nominees in 14 categories.
“It is an incredible achievement to be selected among the best from the 8,223 entries we received this year,” said Basil O’Brien, the awards Creative Director. ADRI’s images titled “Near Death,” and “Pulchritudo” are exceptional images entered in the FINE ART category, represents black and white photography at its finest, and we’re pleased to present him with the title of Nominee.
BLACK AND WHITE SPIDER AWARDS is the leading international award honoring excellence in black and white photography. This celebrated event shines a spotlight on the best professional and amateur photographers worldwide and honors the finest images with the highest achievements in black and white photography.
AFCP
The (US) Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation
The (US) Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation has supported many projects in Laos over the last ten years and to celebrate this milestone the US embassy in Vientiane decided to create an exhibition showing the variety of projects they’ve supported.
We were asked to get involved and we worked closely together with Pam DeVolder to create a beautiful show in the National Museum in Luang Prabang, Northern Laos. Paul Bloxham, a designer I have worked with on several projects, worked on the design for the panels and also created the layout for the show; www.paulbloxhamdesign.com
Below some of the panels and the layout in the museum. The show was moved to Vientiane and during the US Secretary of State’s visit to Laos, Mrs Hilary Clinton managed a quick visit to see part of the show. Both Paul and I received great feedback for the quality of the work produced. My thanks to Pam DeVolder for trusting us with this work and her great help in keeping the process moving. The panels were printed in Bangkok by Bloom Pro Lab and thanks to Mark Ogaslert for his quality outputs.
The show was then moved to Vientiane for the visit of US Secratary of Sate Mrs. Hilary Clinton.
Secretary of State Mrs Hilary Clinton in Vientiane admiring the AFCP display.
I organised the historical archive of photography done by colleagues and added photography shown below to help the visual style further. We arranged the large format printing in Bangkok and this was shipped via the US Embassy to Laos. The 34 panels arrived in perfect shape and we set about to set up the show with borrowed artefacts from one of the temples to illustrate works that had been supported through the AFCP projects. One small museum that receives regular support for projects they undertake is the Traditional Arts & Ethnology Centre. You can visit the website here: http://www.taeclaos.org/
The show was a great success, opened by Ambassador Karen B. Stewart and attracted a lot of attention from visitors around the world.
The (US) Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation communicate their projects from around the world in their annual report. The most recent publication incorporated some of the projects supported by the US Embassy in Vientiane for projects in Laos. We were lucky to get the front and back covers as well as beautiful spread inside the publication.
