PLASTIC GIRLS competing at Indie Memphis

Posted by on Nov 2, 2018 in DOCUMENTARY, Narrative, Video | No Comments

Plastic Girls at Indie Memphis Film Festival

We are incredibly honored to announce that PLASTIC GIRLS will screen in the Documentary Shorts Competition as part of the 21st edition of the INDIE MEMPHIS FILM FESTIVAL. The event takes place between the 1st and 5th of November in Memphis, Tennessee. INDIE MEMPHIS itself has been voted both as one of “The 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” and as one of the “50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee” by MOVIE MAKER Magazine.

About Plastic Girls

PLASTIC GIRLS is the last film of a Korea related trilogy following BIKINI WORDS and LAST LETTERS. What unites the 3 films is a strong focus on issues related to space and architecture, but each film itself stands out with an individual subject matter. PLASTIC GIRLS is the most quirky out of the 3 films. The presented mannequins are unique to Korea and the film explores through them a clever way to address gender issues in Korea without flatly denouncing the society itself.

For more information about PLASTIC GIRLS please read a very thorough interview on film blog DIRECTORS NOTES, which dives into some of the ideas behind and the making of this film.

Screening Times

PLASTIC GIRLS will screen along with the A LIFE ON THE LINE by Lea Suzuki, BABY BROTHER by Kamau Bilal, BLACK 14 by Darius Clark Monroe, MIEDO DE MONOS by Michael Arcos, NORMAN NORMAN by Sophy Romvari, SALTWATER  BAPTISM by Jared Callahan & Russell Sheaffer, THE DREAMER by Manjula Varghese and THE TRAVELER TAKAMURE by Jing Niu at the following date and venue:

* Sat, Nov 3rd, 01:00 PM at Theatreworks @ The Square – 2085 Monroe Ave, Memphis TN 38104

For more information about screening times, venues and the festival in general, please visit the INDIE MEMPHIS FILM FESTIVAL website.

Bikini Words at Arlington Film Festival

Posted by on Nov 1, 2018 in COMMERCIAL, DOCUMENTARY, Narrative, Video | No Comments

Bikini Words at The Arlington International Film Festival

We are incredibly honored to announce that BIKINI WORDS by Nils Clauss will screen in the International Shorts Program of the 8th annual Arlington International Film Festival. The festival takes place from November 1st to November 4th 2018 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

About BIKINI WORDS

BIKINI WORDS is the first film of a Korea related trilogy, which is followed by LAST LETTERS and PLASTIC GIRLS. What unites the 3 films is a strong focus on issues related to space and architecture, but each film itself stands out with an individual subject matter. BIKNI WORDS talks about new vocabulary that evolved during the rapid industrialisation of South Korea throughout the 1970s and 1980s amongst the factory workers to put names to the radically new aspects of their urbanised lives.

To date BIKINI WORDS has screened at several international film festival and won Best Short Documentary at the Lift-Off Season Awards 2016.

For more information about BIKINI WORDS please read a very thorough interview on film blog DIRECTORS NOTES, which dives into some of the ideas behind and the making of this film.

Screening Time

BIKINI WORDS will screen in the International Shorts Program along with the CLASH OF MORALITY by Vinay Pujara, CUBEMAN by Linda Dombrovsky, LIFE AFTER GUANTANAMO by Esteban Cuevas and DANKE by Antonio Sequeria:

* Fri, Nov 2nd, 9:28 PM at Capital Theatre – 204 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington, MA 02474, USA

For more information about screening times, venues and the festival in general, please visit the ARLINGTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL website.

PLASTIC GIRLS | CINEQUEST Spotlight Trailer

Posted by on Feb 14, 2018 in DOCUMENTARY, Narrative, News, Video | No Comments

To pay tribute to our participation at CINEQUEST, one of the top worldwide festivals, Udo Lee, In-ah Shin and I made this short and fun spotlight trailer.

PLASTIC GIRLS has been selected as part of the 28th edition of CINEQUEST FILM & VR FESTIVAL among 1750 entries from more than 120 countries. The film will screen in the Short Film Competition at the following dates and venues:

* Sat, Mar 3, 12:25 PM at 3 Below Theaters & Lounge (formerly Camera 3 Cinemas) – 288 S 2nd St, San Jose, CA 95113
* Mon, Mar 5 8:15 PM at Century 20 Redwood City (Screen 10) – 1627, 825 Middlefield Rd, Redwood City, CA 94063
* Sat, Mar 10 10:00 AM at 3 Below Theaters & Lounge (formerly Camera 3 Cinemas) – 288 S 2nd St, San Jose, CA 95113
* Sun, Mar 11 10:45 AM at Century 20 Redwood City (Screen 11) – 1627, 825 Middlefield Rd, Redwood City, CA 94063

CINEQUEST FILM & VR FESTIVAL has been voted as “Best Film Festival (of the nation)” in a 2015 poll by the readers of USA TODAY and the HUFFINGTON POST includes CINEQUEST in a list of the “10 Best Film Festivals you’ve never heard of“.

PLASTIC GIRLS at 28th Cinequest Film Festival

Posted by on Feb 13, 2018 in DOCUMENTARY, Narrative, News, Video | No Comments

Plastic Girls at Cinequest

We are incredibly honored to announce that PLASTIC GIRLS will screen in the Short Film Competition as part of the 28th edition of CINEQUEST & VR FESTIVAL from February 27th to March 11th, 2018 in San Jose, California – the world’s most influential technology center, Silicon Valley. CINEQUEST itself has been voted as “Best Film Festival (of the nation)” in a 2015 poll by the readers of USA TODAY and the HUFFINGTON POST includes CINEQUEST in a list of the “10 Best Film Festivals you’ve never heard of“. PLASTIC GIRLS has been chosen among 1750 entries from more than 120 countries.

About Plastic Girls

PLASTIC GIRLS is the last film of a Korea related trilogy following BIKINI WORDS and LAST LETTERS. What unites the 3 films is a strong focus on issues related to space and architecture, but each film itself stands out with an individual subject matter. PLASTIC GIRLS is the most quirky out of the 3 films. The presented mannequins are unique to Korea and the film explores through them a clever way to address gender issues in Korea without flatly denouncing the society itself.

For more information about PLASTIC GIRLS please read a very thorough interview on film blog DIRECTORS NOTES, which dives into some of the ideas behind and the making of this film.

Screening Times

Along with the feature documentary PURDAH by director Jeremy Guy, PLASTIC GIRLS will screen 4 times at the following dates and venues:

* Sat, Mar 3, 12:25 PM at 3 Below Theaters & Lounge (formerly Camera 3 Cinemas) – 288 S 2nd St, San Jose, CA 95113
* Mon, Mar 5 8:15 PM at Century 20 Redwood City (Screen 10) – 1627, 825 Middlefield Rd, Redwood City, CA 94063
* Sat, Mar 10 10:00 AM at 3 Below Theaters & Lounge (formerly Camera 3 Cinemas) – 288 S 2nd St, San Jose, CA 95113
* Sun, Mar 11 10:45 AM at Century 20 Redwood City (Screen 11) – 1627, 825 Middlefield Rd, Redwood City, CA 94063

For more information about screening times, venues and the festival in general, please visit the CINEQUEST & VR FESTIVAL website.

BIKINI WORDS at 14th Sedicicorto International

Posted by on Oct 10, 2017 in DOCUMENTARY, News, Video | No Comments

BIKINI WORDS will play at the 14th Sedicicorto International Film Festival on October 11th 2017.

Sedicicorto International Film Festival, born in 2004, is a short film festival held every year in the month of October in Forlì close to Bologna, Italy. It boasts submissions from all over the world by filmmakers mainly dealing with short films. The event aims at drawing the attention not only of the filmgoers, but also of the audience interested in the audiovisual world, within an occasion promoting the exchange of ideas.

BIKINI WORDS plays out of competition in the Experia section of the 14th Sedicicorto International Film Festival, which contains a selection of experimental short films. Together with Werner Biedermann’s JAMAIS VU, Tim Weimann’s UNITED INTEREST, Eileen Byrne’s IRIDESCENE and Benjamin Bardou’s GLORIA VICTIS, BIKINI WORDS will play at Biblioteca Aurelio Saffi (Corso della Repubblica 72 – Forlì) on Wednesday Oct. 11th at 5pm.

BIKINI WORDS focuses on new vocabulary, which evolved amongst factory workers during the rapid industrialisation of South Korea throughout the 1970s and 1980s in order to put names to the radically new aspects of their urbanised lives.

Vimeo Staff Pick for PLASTIC GIRLS

Posted by on Jul 28, 2017 in DOCUMENTARY, News, Review, Video | No Comments

PLASTIC GIRLS has been selected as a VIMEO STAFF PICK. This totals 6 Staff Picks during the past 6 VIMEO years! So far VIMEO has been an amazing platform and I am truly thankful for all their support. Also I would like to thank everyone, who has been actively supporting me as a filmmaker. All those collaborations throughout the years have been very inspirational and taught me a hell of a lot. A big shout-out to everyone involved!

PLASTIC GIRLS. A short documentary

Posted by on Jul 26, 2017 in DOCUMENTARY, News, Review, Video | No Comments

Following BIKINI WORDS and LAST LETTERS, PLASTIC GIRLS is the last part of a Korea based trilogy with a strong focus on issues relating to space and architecture.

I not only feel that PLASTIC GIRLS complements both BIKINI WORDS and LAST LETTERS well within the trilogy, but it also stands out as a film on it’s own due to its unique subject matter and a thoughtful audio visual approach. Ranging between documentary and fiction, it addresses gender issues through a unique document that illustrates one aspect of the sexualisation of public space.

Differences in gender equality between South Korea and other places in the West are significant. Since I moved to Korea in late 2005, I have been confronted with those disparities in my day to day life. But as a foreigner, how do we and how should we address our concerns about something we personally disagree with? The longer I lived away from home, the more I started to really understand that the way a society is structured, is deeply rooted within its culture and history. In a way this is obvious. But still, as an expat it is easy to drift away from the culture you once decided to live in after encountering elements of the host country’s way of life that you find disagreeable. This insight can stop one from bashing the culture and instead lead one to be more accepting of the way society shapes people’s lives. But then by the same token, what kind of criticism can you possibly engage yourself in, if you live in a society, which is so different from your own and possibly conflicts with your beliefs?

PLASTIC GIRLS is not a film that intends to be offensive towards South Korean society or make it look like gender inequality is an issue only with regard to this nation. Despite references to Korean society and culture, I want to make more of a general statement regarding gender inequality. The sexualization of public space, which is the focus of the film, I believe, illustrates a more global tendency, which in general should be of concern. By choosing plastic mannequins as the very peculiar main subjects of the film, I intend to make the audience feel uncomfortable, but also give them enough room to reflect on the sexualisation of public space on a conceptional level rather than specifically within the context of South Korean society. It is my intention to create a certain awkwardness without being directly offensive towards anybody or by utilising national stereotypes. Even though this film is shot in Korea and references various distinct Korean public spaces, I really hope that this film speaks to an international audience and not only makes us look at gender misbalances in Korea, but allows us to reflect on how the culture produces a certain view of women in general and how we think about an on-going trend regarding a sexualisation of public space.

Thank you very much for your interest in this film!

Best Short Documentary for Bikini Words

Posted by on Mar 24, 2016 in COMMERCIAL, DOCUMENTARY, News, Promo, Video | No Comments

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Great News! BIKINI WORDS by Nils Clauss just won Best Short Documentary at the Liverpool Lift-Off Film Festival 2016!

As a winner BIKINI WORDS will now be screened at proceeding Lift-Off global film festival events in Tokyo (in April), Las Vegas (June), Vancouver (August), Los Angeles (September), Amsterdam (October), Singapore (Late October), Sydney (November), and London (December).

BIKINI WORDS on THE ATLANTIC

Posted by on Feb 18, 2016 in COMMERCIAL, DOCUMENTARY, Promo, Video | No Comments

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After the short documentary Choa now also Bikini Words has been featured as an Editor’s Pick by The Atlantic. Thanks to Nadine Ajaka for showcasing the video!

BIKINI WORDS takes a look at new linguistic developments among factory workers during the industrial expansion of Korea in the 1970s and 80s.

BIKINI WORDS at Liverpool Lift-Off Film Fest

Posted by on Feb 15, 2016 in DOCUMENTARY, FEATURE, Promo, Video | No Comments

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Lift-Off Film Festival Global Network selects BIKINI WORDS by Nils Clauss to be part of their prestigious line up of true independent cinema at this years Liverpool Lift-Off Film Festival 2016!

BIKINI WORDS was selected out of 1300+ global entrants, to screen at the prestigious Liverpool Lift-Off Film Festival, the only fully accredited film festival in the city.

At the event all of the films will be scored by the attending audience, where the winners are potentially screened at the ten proceeding Lift-Off global events. Lift-Off currently has festivals in London, Liverpool, Tokyo, Las Vegas, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Singapore, Sydney, Hong Kong and Amsterdam.

James Bradley Co-Director and Co-Founder of Lift-Off says…

Getting into any Lift-Off Film Festival is a massive achievement. The world of independent film has grown so much over the years that many of the grass rooted filmmakers and emerging professionals are left without much of a platform. We felt that many of these artists who were producing exceptional work were being hugely ignored – and deserved to be seen! Our judges are rigorous and we are quickly building a reputation of finding true undiscovered talent.

BIKINI WORDS focuses on new vocabulary, which evolved amongst factory workers during the rapid industrialisation of South Korea throughout the 1970s and 1980s in order to put names to the radically new aspects of their urbanised lives.

The film will be screened on Thursday 3rd March 2016 from 9:00 to 10:30pm at Small Cinema Liverpool (57-59 Victoria Street, Liverpool, L1 6DE) within the Shorts Programme 1 (Evening of Shorts).

Ticket can be purchased Lift-Off Tickets.