When director Daniel Schmid grew up, his parents ran a hotel in the Alps, and this singular setting was to influence his film. Rather by coincidence, he came to Berlin in the early 1960s and became part of the new German wave. Schmid worked with, among others, Wenders and Fassbinder, for example, as an actor in Wender’s The American Friend. He met Ingrid Caven, who was to play a diva in several of his films. This is a documentation of a part of modern European film history and a good analysis of artistry and how it corresponds to the individual behind the camera. A wealth of archival footage brings us close to many directors and actors in Schmid’s circle. If you’ve never seen a Daniel Schmid film, you are sure to want to after watching this portrait of his life.
Direction
Hofmann and Jaberg wisely let Schmid's own footage speak.
Production
Archival treasure trove of 1970s European arthouse royalty.
Director
Pascal Hofmann
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Schmid's nickname 'Le Chat Qui Pense' (The Cat Who Thinks) came from his habit of observing film sets in silence for hours before speaking.
This documentary arrived at a crucial moment: 2010 marked renewed interest in forgotten New German Cinema figures outside the Wenders-Fassbinder-Herzog trinity. Schmid's rediscovery began here.
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