MIES ON SCENE A NIHAO FILMS & FUNDACI MIES VAN DER ROHE ... · Mies van der Rohe and the history of architecture. Author of the reference book “Mies van der Rohe, the artless word”

MIES ON SCENE A NIHAO FILMS & FUNDACIÓ MIES VAN DER ROHE PRODUCTION

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INDEX

Logline

Festivals

Resources

Credits

Technical information

Synopsis

Director’s statement

Main characters

Director’s bio / filmography

Contact

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LOGLINE

The story of a building that changed the history of architecture. Its construction and sub-

sequent reconstruction in two key moments of Barcelona immerse us in a reflection on the

perception of art, space and the concept of masterpiece.

FESTIVALS

Best Art Documentary: Fresh Stream Experimental Film Festival 2018- US

Official Selection: Architecture + Design Film Festival Winnipeg 2018 - Canada

Official Selection: DocsBarcelona International Documentary Film Festival 2018 - Spain

RESOURCES

Trailer (download): https://we.tl/XVrYjH1nNx

Trailer (online): https://youtu.be/3u52BKmtWg4

Pictures: https://we.tl/McvpojO7EW

Website: www.miesonscene.com


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TECHNICAL INFORMATION

County of production: Spain

Year of production: 2018

Duration: 58 minutes

Original languages: English, Spanish, Catalan, German

Screening format: DCP. (Subtitles versions: English, Spanish, Catalan)

Format: 16:9

Shot in: Barcelona (Spain), New York (USA)

Production companies: Nihao Films, Fundació Mies van der Rohe

Website: www.miesonscene.com

CREDITS

Directors: Pep Martín & Xavi Campreciós

Producers: Anna Ramos, Antoni Garijo, Ivan Blasi, Pep Martín, Xavi Campreciós

Screenplay: Ivan Blasi, Anna Sala Giralt, Xavi Campreciós, Pep Martín

Music: Marc Mas

Sound: Brendan Golden, Blai Barba

Cinematography and editing: Pep Martín & Xavi Campreciós


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SYNOPSIS

The Barcelona Pavilion, the masterpiece with which Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich staged

their revolutionary ideas in 1929, changed the History of architecture forever. It only existed

for eight months but paradoxically its image was always alive in the minds of generations of

architects around the world, becoming one of his greatest influences.

The Pavilion is still surrounded by myths and mysteries that this documentary addresses,

framing the building into a portrait in two acts of the Barcelona that made possible its cons-

truction in 1929 and its reconstruction in 1986. We immerse ourselves in a reflection on the

transformative capacity of art, the emotional perception of space and the concept of master-

piece.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

During the last nine years we have had the pleasure of filming the Barcelona Pavilion on nu-

merous and varied occasions: video art, advertising spots or transformation interventions that

artists like Ai Weiwei have made in this space. It is a scenario of endless perspectives, lights

and reflections, a living building that changes at every hour of the day and at any season of

the year. Each time you record it, the Pavilion surprises you with a new reflection or a new vi-

sual composition, and you discover that fourth dimension that Mies created with the game of

materials and perspectives. A universe where the composition of each frame easily becomes

art within art because the Pavilion generates and multiplies beauty. This documentary is a ci-

nematographic essay within this space of Miesian architecture, at once abstract and rational,

finite and infinite.


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MAIN CHARACTERS

Fritz Neumeyer: : German architect, prestigious and passionate specialist in the work of

Mies van der Rohe and the history of architecture. Author of the reference book “Mies van

der Rohe, the artless word” (1986) among others. Professor of architectural theory at TU

Berlin. He has taught at Harward, Santa Monica and several universities in Europe.

Eduardo Mendoza: Spanish writer and good connoisseur of the history of Barcelona, he

provides his vision of the city during the periods in which the Pavilion has existed. Cervan-

tes Prize 2016 and Premio Planeta 2010 among others. His literary work is usually set in his

native Barcelona. In his novel “The City of the Wonders” (1987), he makes a living portrait of

the evolution of Barcelona between the universal exhibitions of 1888 and 1929, a fictionali-

zed transcription of the collective memory of a generation of Barcelonians.

Barry Bergdoll: Specialist in the history of modern architecture, especially in France and

Germany. Professor of art history at Columbia University and curator of the Department of

Architecture and Design at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, MoMA. He has organi-

zed a series of exhibitions designed to offer new perspectives on the figure of Mies van der

Rohe, among which the exhibition “Mies in Berlin” (2001) stands out.

Xavier Rubert de Ventós: Philosopher and writer, he gives us the counterpoint on the per-

ception of art and the concept of masterpiece. Known as a cultural agitator in the rebirth

of the Barcelona of the 80s and 90s and promoter of the Eu Prize for Contemporary Archi-

tecture - Mies van der Rohe Award. Professor of Aesthetics at the School of Architecture of

Barcelona and professor at the universities of Berkeley, Harvard and New York. Author of an

extensive essay and philosophical production of aesthetics, theory of culture and practical

philosophy books.

Oriol Bohigas: Architect, urban planner and professor. He is one of the most important

characters in the transformation and modernization of Barcelona. He was the driving force

behind the reconstruction of the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion and the person who chose the

team that would carry it out. He was Director of the School of Architecture of Barcelona.

In 1984, he was appointed Councilor for Town Planning at the City Council, from where he

carried out the transformation planned for Barcelona on the occasion of the 1992 Olympic

Games.


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Fernando Ramos: Professor at several architecture universities in Europe and director of the

School of Architecture of Barcelona (1984-1991). He was part of the team that rebuilt the

German Pavilion and recovered the original geometry of the Pavilion, which would allow to

redo the plans for its reconstruction.

Cristian Cirici: Architect and furniture, lighting and construction elements designer. He

was part of the team that rebuilt the German Pavilion being in charge of the construction

details. He was the founder of prestigious design companies and professor at architecture

universities in Europe and the United States.

Martino Stierli: The Philip Johnson Chief Curator of Architecture and Design at MoMA. Profes-

sor at the Art History Institute of the University of Zurich. His work focuses on the relationship

between architecture, media and the representation of the modern space.

And the participation of: Paul Galloway, Isabel Bachs, Toni Mira, Jordi Marquès and the Pavi-

lion’s visitors.


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DIRECTOR’S BIO / FILMOGRAPHY

Xavi Campreciós: Documentary films director and producer. Graduated from ESCAC, his

short documentary Open 24 Hours was awarded the Best National Short Film Documen-

tary at Documenta Madrid 2010. For the last 10 years he has been working between China

and Spain, creating all kinds of audiovisual material for Nihao Films, especially about archi-

tecture.

Pep Martín: Publicist and documentary films director and producer. He worked for more

than 20 years as a creative director at Talp Communication. His documentary Ícaro was

awarded in 2010 as the Best Documentary by the Academy of Medical Science of Catalun-

ya and Balears, and included in the Official Selection at DocsBarcelona Film Festival 2010.

Since 2009 he has directed the documentaries for the EU Prize for Contemporary Architec-

ture – Mies van der Rohe Award. For the las 5 years he has created all kinds of audiovisual

material for Nihao Films.


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CONTACT

Nihao Films

Xavi Campreciós, Pep Martín

[email protected]

www.nihaofilms.com

+34 930242831 / +34 622919776

Fundació Mies van der Rohe - Press office

Miriam Giordano / Silvia Pujalte - Labóh

[email protected]

www.miesbcn.com

+34 93 319 26 64 / +34 606 60 22 30

www.miesonscene.com

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MIES ON SCENE A NIHAO FILMS & FUNDACI MIES VAN DER ROHE ... · Mies van der Rohe and the history of architecture. Author of the reference book “Mies van der Rohe, the artless word”