EAT AT JOE'S!

HD Video/Audio-Installation
synchronos 3-channel projection 16 : 9
27 min 33 sec (Loop)

Production, director, script
Barbara Meyer Cesta

Text
English Barbara Meyer Cesta
Hebrew Effi Weiss
Arabic Amir Borenstein

Cast
Diana Calvo Salvanés
Racha Faris
Diaeldin Hamed
Ahmed Hussein
Mirette Mechail
Mohammad Roshdy
Saad Samir
Tarek Shalaby
Wafaa’ Wali

right side: Kunstmuseum Thun 2012; Opening with live sound by Mario Batkovic, concept, direction, accordion; Hans Koch, bass clarinet; Ivan Nestic, bass

Recording Supervisior & Director of Photography
Rudolf Steiner
2nd camera Hadil Nazmy
3rd camera Louly Seif

Cut Barbara Meyer Cesta, Rudolf Steiner, Effi & Amir
Effects Barbara Meyer Cesta, Rudolf Steiner
Video editing Videocompany Zofingen

Music
Conzept / Musical director Mario Batkovic
Production / Technical director Urs Gilgen
Accordeon Mario Batkovic
Bass clarinet Hans Koch
Stand-up bass Ivan Nestic

Co-operation
Production organisation Cairo Roby & Ruth, Hadil Nazmy, Diaeldin Hamed, Louly Seif
Interpretation consultants Hayhat El Bokeili, Ziad Bitar, Sofia Iberg Hidalgo, Regula Tanner

Shot in Egypt (White Desert) 2007

Presentation
Three screens are placed in a U shape so that they cannot be viewed simultaneously. They show – mostly in synch – the same event but seen from different camera angles. Each screen has its own voice – bass on the left, accordeon in the centre, bass clarinet on the right. The sound is an accompaniment; it does not illustrate events.

Camera left: zooming in and out, it follows the protagonist carrying a banner and sloga
Camera centre: static, Übersicht des Geschehen
Camera right: zooming in and out, it follows the group persecuting the protagonist

Synopsis
A man with a slogan-inscribed banner runs across an empty landscape under a cloudless sky. The man is being persecuted by a mob. They catch him, beat him up, embrace him and release him before they capture him again. It is impossible to interpret the mob's behaviour. This repeats itself in three chapters in which only the slogans are different. In the first chapter, the inscription on the banner is in Arabic; in the second it is in Hebrew; in the third it is an English slogan. The three slogans (Heb: Srak: Blanks, fruitless; Arab: Balesh: for nothing, don't…; Engl: Eat At Joe‘s!) have been photoshopped into the image. The clearly visible, inadequate montage technique (motion tracking) gives the slogans a certain slapstick character, a life of their own. Half-way through each of the parts, the image fades into white while the slogan continues to move as though guided by a ghost, transforming into the version in the next language before the image fades in again.

With thanks to

Rudolf Steiner

Tarek Shalaby
Diana Calvo Salvanés
Racha Faris
Diaeldin Hamed
Hamed Ahmed Hussein
Mirette Mechai
Mohammad Roshdy
Saad Samir
Wafaa’ Wali
Hadil Nazmy
LoulySeif
 
Effi Weiss, Amir Borenstein
 
Mario Batkovic

Roby & Ruth
 
Tex Avery

Roman Polanski

the Swiss Embassy inCairo

the tour guides in Egypt,
who wish to remain anonymous,

to Videocompany

Haus am Gern

Andreas Greber

die Schule für Gestaltung Bern:Biel

M&M Hire Schönenwerd

and the supporting institutions:

Pro Helvetia

Aargauer Kuratorium

Canton of Solothurn

Canton of Bern

City of Bern

City of Biel/Bienne

Migros Kulturprozent

and VALIART
 
and very special thanks again to Rudolf Steiner

Press:

Bieler Tagblatt vom 18.12.2009

der Bund vom 2.4.2010

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