Die Frau mit den 5 Elefanten
The Woman with the 5 Elephants
Swetlana Geier is considered the greatest translator of Russian literature into German. She has just concluded her lifework for Zurich’s Ammann publishing house – completing new translations of Dostoyevsky’s five great novels – known as “the five elephants”. Her work is characterized by a great and sensual feeling for language and an uncompromising respect for the writers she translates. Her life has been overshadowed by Europe’s varied history.
Together with the film director Vadim Jendreyko, the 85-year-old woman is making her first trip from her chosen home in Germany back to the places of her childhood in the Ukraine. The film interweaves the story of Swetlana Geier’s life with her literary work and traces the secret of this inexhaustibly hard-working woman. It tells of great suffering, silent helpers and unhoped-for chances – and a love of language that outshines all else.
Source: German films Service & Marketing GmbH
Credits
Director
Screenplay
Director of photography
Editing
Production company
Alle Credits
Director
Screenplay
Director of photography
Editing
Sound
Audio mixing
Participation
Production company
in co-production with
Unit production manager
Original distributor
FSK-Prüfung (DE): 18.11.2009, 120517, ab 6 Jahre / feiertagsfrei
Uraufführung (CH): 26.04.2009, Nyon, Visions du Réel;
Aufführung (CH): August 2009, Locarno, IFF - Appellations Suisse;
Kinostart (DE): 28.01.2010
Titles
- Originaltitel (DE CH) Die Frau mit den 5 Elefanten
- Schreibvariante (DE CH) Die Frau mit den fünf Elefanten
Versions
Original
FSK-Prüfung (DE): 18.11.2009, 120517, ab 6 Jahre / feiertagsfrei
Uraufführung (CH): 26.04.2009, Nyon, Visions du Réel;
Aufführung (CH): August 2009, Locarno, IFF - Appellations Suisse;
Kinostart (DE): 28.01.2010
Awards
- Sterling Award
- Defa-Förderpreis
- Prix Spécial SRG SSR idée suisse, Bester Film eines Schweizer Regisseurs
- Prix SSA/Suissimage, Bester innovativer Film