PRE S S KIT
The goalgetter’s ship Documentary by Heidi Specogna
teamWorx Television & Film GmbH Jochen Laube Alleenstrasse 2 D - 71638 Ludwigsburg Tel.: 0049 7141 299 18 60 Fax: 0049 7141 299 18 61 www.teamworx.de
[email protected]
FAMA FILM AG Rolf Schmid Engelstrasse 52, Postfach CH - 8026 Zürich Tel.: 0041 (0)44 245 86 60 Fax: 0041 (0)44 245 86 66
[email protected] www.famafilm.ch
Th e g o a l g e t te r ’ s s h i p
PRESS KIT
page 2
Content
Logline
.........................................................................................................................................................................................
3
Synopsis ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Director’s notes ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Bio- / Filmography Heidi Specogna - writer and director
.................................................................
8
Crew / Credits ........................................................................................................................................................................ 9 Technical information
....................................................................................................................................................... 13
Company profile teamWorx Television & Film GmbH (Production) ............................................ 14 Company profile and filmography FAMA FILM AG (Co-Production) ......................................... 17
A production by FAMA FILM AG
Th e g o a l g e t te r ’ s s h i p
PRESS KIT
page 3
Logline
A German-African story about dreams, life plans and the trading commodity humans.
A production by FAMA FILM AG
Th e g o a l g e t te r ’ s s h i p
PRESS KIT
page 4
Synopsis
In 1964, the island ferry “Nordby” was launched in Denmark. Three decades later it was taken out of service and sold: to the Nigerian football player Jonathan Akpoborie who wished to support his family with the money earned playing in the German Bundesliga. He christened the ferry in his mother’s name “Etireno”. Soon afterwards, the Etireno appeared in the headlines of the international media – as a suspected child slavery ship off the coast of West Africa. When it became known who the owner of this ship was, his club VfL Wolfsburg immediately parted company with its Nigerian striker. The footballer’s guilt was never proven. The film reconstructs the events and uses them as an opportunity to begin a search for the protagonists at the time: What were the consequences of the fateful journey for the children on board the ship? How did life continue for the Togolese girl Adakou? What does the future hold today for Nouman, the young boy from Benin? What became of the striker’s career? And the ferry – does it still exist? The accounts and meetings create a German-African story about dreams, life plans and the trading commodity humans.
A production by FAMA FILM AG
Th e g o a l g e t te r ’ s s h i p
PRESS KIT
page 5
Director’s notes
The film «The goalgetter’s ship» tells a present-day story with the help of a story of yesteryear: the scandal surrounding the “Etireno”. In April 2001, the ship “Etireno” was seized off Gabon and returned to its home port of Cotonou in Benin. On board were numerous children who were to be brought to Gabon as labour. Child traficking in the opinion of Terre des hommes, African tradition in the opinion of the national government. In Europe the story caused a sensation because the owner of the ship was the Nigerian goalgetter Jonathan Akpoborie. At the time he was playing for VfL Wolfsburg who sacked him immediately. The film «The goalgetter’s ship» deals with trading circles, the exchange of trading commodities: sometimes the commodity is steel, sometimes humans. Goods that are worth more at their place of destination than at their place of origin. Be this a discarded Danish island ferry, an African football talent or children sent away because their families hope this will enable them to survive. The protagonists in our film are part of these trading circles. They appear in various places and in different positions. The film tells of their experience; it interweaves their stories with one another and takes a look at where the “Etireno” has taken them. There are three threads to the story: the story of the ship itself, the story of the children Adakou and Nouman who were on board the “Etireno”, and the story of Jonathan Akpoborie. The “Etireno” arrived in Africa in 2000 under its own steam. The topscorer Jonathan Akpoborie had bought it for his family in order to secure their living. After having displaced children illegaly, the ferry hovered around in the port of Cotonou. Until it finally started to leak, was sold and is now waiting to be scrapped. The steel from the ship’s hull will return to Europe. Here, steel is in urgent demand.
A production by FAMA FILM AG
Th e g o a l g e t te r ’ s s h i p
PRESS KIT
page 6
Director’s notes
The children arrived on the “Etireno” via traffickers. Their stories of this journey still make the adults in the villages catch their breath. But how has life continued? What perspectives have they had since Terre des hommes took them off the ship and saved them? Where do they see their future? - And what has Terre des Hommes achieved since then in the struggle for children’s rights and in its dealings with government bodies? Jonathan Akpoborie has fallen from the pinnacle of the Bundesliga into oblivion. As a result of a suspicion that could never be proven. No wonder that he does not find it easy to talk about this period. More important is reflection about how an African can survive in Europe, how the rules of European and African society can be brought together. If this can succeed at all... Akpoborie remains in the circular flow, albeit at a different point. He, who, like many African footballers, was once discovered by a scout, is now himself working as a player agent. The film «The goalgetter’s ship» tells a story that takes place in Africa (Benin, Togo, Nigeria) and in Europe (Germany, Switzerland and Denmark). However, the names of the continents not only describe filming locations but also represent life concepts and ideas of humans which could not be more different. Here, the attempt to be perceived in as individual a manner as possible, to recognise and pursue own interests – there, the idea of being part of a network of relationships that may offer security but which, however, bring above all obligations and dependencies. Here, successful people are congratulated and applauded – there, the successful are envied and possibly persecuted if they do not immediately share the fruits of their success with everybody: until such time as they are on a level with the others.
A production by FAMA FILM AG
Th e g o a l g e t te r ’ s s h i p
PRESS KIT
page 7
Director’s notes
The film tells of breaks and turning points. They occur wherever an African football talent develops into a celebrated goal-scorer in the Bundesliga and attempts to live up to his African commitments in a European manner. Instead of giving everybody gifts, he buys them a ferry: Helping people to help themselves. Or wherever traffickers enter the wretched villages of Benin to convince parents to give away their children who will supposedly be able to earn money for everybody in the rich neighbouring country. A further beak: an aid organisation that looks after children who were seized on a footballer’s ferry on the journey to Gabon, succeeds in influencing legislation in Benin. On the other hand, however, it attracts international criticism because it is a European institution interfering in African matters. And the ship? Its remains are still buried beneath the sand of the beach in Benin. The intention is for it to be recovered as soon as its new owner has enough money: pulled out with heavy machinery, broken down, finally transported away in trucks and sold by the tonne. In the meantime, the beach guard Papa Dora will keep a vigilant eye on the rusting scrap parts. In his improvised hut, the old man has spent days staring at the few parts of the ship protruding out of the water and has had his thoughts: about the ship, the sea, the transitional and the circles in which the lives of people and things move.
A production by FAMA FILM AG
Th e g o a l g e t te r ’ s s h i p
PRESS KIT
page 8
Bio-/Filmography Heidi Specogna writer and director 1959 born in Switzerland. School of journalism in Zurich 1982 - 1987 Studies at Film Academy (DFFB) in Berlin 1987 - 1994 lecturer for editing at Art Academy in Berlin 1990 founded her own production company Since 2003 lecturer for documentary film at Film Academy Baden-Württemberg and since 2007 at art school Lucerne Filmography (choice) : 2010 Die Ermittler, Documentary, 90 min (termination end 2010) 2010 Das Schiff des Torjägers, Documentary, 90 min 2006 Das kurze Leben des José Antonio Gutierrez, Documentary, 90 min Festivals: Sundance, Locarno, Münchner Filmfest, Rio de Janeiro, Los Angeles, Leipzig, Havanna Awards: Swiss Film Award 2007, Nomination German Film Award 2007, Adolf Grimme Award 2008
2004 Eine Familienangelegenheit, Documentary, 80 min 2004 Zeit der roten Nelken, Documentary, 98 min 2000 Kaprun – Über Leben nach der Katastrophe, Documentation 1999 Jankos Musik, short documentary 1996 Tupamaros, Documentary 95 min (with Rainer Hoffmann) Festivals: Berlinale Panorama 1997, Sydney Filmfestival, IDFA, Havanna Awards: Nomination Best Documentary Havanna 1997
1995 Z-Man‘s Kinder, Feature film, 86 min 1993 Deckname: Rosa, Documentary, 85 min Awards: Cinema Award of the Canton of Berne
1991 Tania La Guerrillera, Documentary, 90 min
Screenplays: 2007 2002 1995 1989 1986
Die Cutterin The Silent Drum Heidi und Pedro Die Gefährtinnen Einen Helden verlässt man nicht
A production by FAMA FILM AG
Th e g o a l g e t te r ’ s s h i p
PRESS KIT
page 9
Crew / Credits
Protagonists: Jonathan Akpoborie, Nouman Anato, Adakou Kpodar, Papa Dora Interviews with: Peter Pander (Manager VfL Wolfsburg) Sophie Agbidi (Terre des hommes), Esther Guluma (Unicef) Writer and director Co-writer Director of photography Editor Sound Narration consultant Music Soundmix Sound editor Camera assistant
Heidi Specogna Kristine Kretschmer Rainer Hoffmann bvk Ursula Höf Paul Oberle, Bernd von Bassewitz Raimund Barthelmes Hans Koch Matthias Lempert Kai Tebbel Florian Hoffmann
Sound assistant
Ronny Kubis
Editing assistant
Julia Karg
Location management Commissioner
Arcade Assogba, Adolphe Apovo (Benin) Lakoname Laré (Togo) Anne Even ZDF/Arte Urs Augstburger SF Alberto Chollet SRG SSR idée suisse
Production manager
Karsten Aurich
Executive producer
Lisa Grözinger
Producer
Jochen Laube
Co-Producer
Rolf Schmid
A production by FAMA FILM AG
Th e g o a l g e t te r ’ s s h i p
PRESS KIT
page 10
Crew / Credits
Production coordinator Switzerland Research Production assistants Postproduction Supervisor Production stage
Regula Begert Sonja Heizmann Anna Pesavento, Friedemann Goez Jochen Felthaus Anne Büttner, Alexandra Staib Adriana Galosi
Avid Assistance
Christian Abel
Color correction
Nadir Mansouri
Online Operator
Christian Pfeiffer, Andreas Klatt
Grafics
Ilona Fritzsche
Translation
Shérif W. Korodowou, Fanik Fangbedji
Transcriptions
Philip Kretschmer, Sophie Watzlawick, Lisa Rohwedder
Accountants
Evelyn Welz (Deutschland) Stefan Schmid (Schweiz)
Head of Business and Legal Affairs
Martin Hartung
Legal Affairs
Franziska Tews
Public Relations Assistenz Public Relations Archives
Laboratory Mixing studio
Anja Käumle Anne Wartenberg, Jana Brandes AP Archive BBC Motion Gallery DFL Sports Enterprises GmbH RTL Television / Content First LC2 Medias TV Dengang Egli Film AG, Zürich Sound Design Studios, Ostermundigen
A production by FAMA FILM AG
Th e g o a l g e t te r ’ s s h i p
PRESS KIT
page 11
Crew / Credits
Thanks to Benin Abimbola Lagunju, Marie Agvessy, Sowanu Nani (Terre des hommes), Houngbédji Olivier Adjai, Goerges Constant Amoussou, DED Gästehaus Nigeria E.M.E. Kolajo, Stella Ibeh, Remi Adelabu, Stella Onabulu (Federal Ministry of Information and Communications), Grace Affiong Edet, Joy Akpoborie, Carlos Bineb Numa Togo Olivier Feneyrol, Fréderic Baele, Jérôme Combes, Maurille Koudossou, Emilie Ayitey (Terre des hommes), Suzanne Aho Denmark Mogens Kierkegaard, Kristian Jensen, Jens Christian Top, Hans Christian Nondal Egetoft, Ragnhild Kallehauge, Steen Meier, Jens Kristian Meller Thomsen, Verein dänischer Fährenfreunde Switzerland Pierre Zwahlen, Leonora Mallias (Terre des hommes), Mo Ait Bouhou, Patrick Baumann Germany Gabriele Röthemeyer, Olivier Zeller (MFG), Kirsten Niehuus, Teresa Hoefert de Turégano (MBB), Christiane Sommer, Diana Falk (FFA), Christine Goldhahn (BKM) and Nico Hofmann, Christian Granderath, Holger Krenz, Lena Kräber, Lucia Staubach, Ines Just, Lars Burkardt, Pablo Thiam, Barbara Ertel-Leicht, Kurt Rippholz, Volker Finke, Reinhild Dettmers-Finke, Jörg Schulze, Stefan Lieberum, Marco Quast, Anneke Reddering, Ute Hornemann, Thomas Kufus, Tobias Büchner, Claudia Prietzel, Peter Henning, Peter Schmidt, Horst Ehlers, Francois Rossiers, Anna Porzelt, Werner Bern Special thanks to Alfonso Jaggli Gonzales and Elisabeth Pons, Chisinau
A production by FAMA FILM AG
Th e g o a l g e t te r ’ s s h i p
PRESS KIT
page 12
Crew / Credits
A production by teamWorx Television & Film GmbH FAMA FILM AG Developed by Specogna Film supported by FFA Drehbuchförderung in co-production with ZDF SF Schweizer Fernsehen in collaboration with Arte supported by Beauftragter der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien BKM MFG Filmförderung Baden-Württemberg FFA Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg Bundesamt für Kultur, Sektion Film Zürcher Filmstiftung
www.schiff-des-torjaegers.de
© 2010 teamWorx Television & Film GmbH / FAMA FILM AG / ZDF / SF
A production by FAMA FILM AG
Th e g o a l g e t te r ’ s s h i p
PRESS KIT
page 13
Technical informations
Genre
Documentary
Production year
2009 / 2010
Production country
Germany
Co-production country
Switzerland
Shooting
March to May 2009 32 days
Locations
Benin, Togo, Nigeria, Germany (Wolfsburg, Freiburg), Switzerland (Zürich), Denmark
Shooting format
HDCam
Screening format
35mm
Languages
english, french, african languages, german english / german subtitles
Duration
91min
Length
2’582.11m plus Starts 25 p/s
Sound System
Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio:
1: 1.85
Distribution Germany
W Film
Distribution Switzerland
open
A production by FAMA FILM AG
Th e g o a l g e t te r ’ s s h i p
PRESS KIT
page 14
Company profile teamWorx Television & Film GmbH Production With more than 140 productions to its name, teamWorx Television & Film GmbH is one of Germany’s foremost TV producers and the European market leader in event productions. The company was founded in 1998 by Nico Hofmann, executive producer and Management Chairman, Ariane Krampe, executive producer and Deputy Managing Director, and Wolf Bauer, Managing Director of the UFA. Dr Jürgen Schuster also heads the company as a managing director and producer. In addition, Sascha Schwingel, also a member of the executive board, Christian Rohde and Christian Granderath are all members of the team of producers. teamWorx has steadily expanded its product portfolio since its establishment. Today it produces high-quality TV movies and fiction programmes with an event character, as well as TV series and serials. Some examples to illustrate the diversity of teamWorx productions: TV movies such as «Ende der Saison», «Stauffenberg», «Bobby», «Toter Mann», «Kein Himmel über Afrika», «Experiment Bootcamp», «Die Mauer - Berlin '61» and «Das Wunder von Berlin», two-part event movies such as «Dresden», «Die Sturmflut», «Die Luftbrücke - Nur der Himmel war frei» and «Tornado - Der Zorn des Himmels», the big-screen pictures «Wolfsburg» and «Berlin - Sinfonie einer Großstadt», and the screen plays «Lulu» and «Baal». Popular TV series and serials such as «Donna Leon» round off the portfolio. teamWorx has shaped important trends with its lavish event productions, and has had a formative influence on the German TV landscape. Not only were many of the productions huge audience favourites, they also won prestigious German and international TV and film awards, some of them repeatedly, such as «Der Tunnel», «Der Tanz mit dem Teufel - Die Entführung des Richard Oetker», «Zwei Tage Hoffnung 17. Juni 1953», «Familienkreise» and «Stauffenberg». Two major recent successes were the anti-war drama «Dresden», which won a German TV Award in 2006 for “Best TV Movie”. The two-part movie drew 12.68 million viewers, a new record for fictional TV productions, and thus became the most-watched TV movie on German
A production by FAMA FILM AG
Th e g o a l g e t te r ’ s s h i p
PRESS KIT
page 15
Company profile teamWorx Television & Film GmbH
television since 1992. The historical two-part television movie «Die Flucht» starring Maria Furtwängler was also hugely successful with television audiences and critics alike. Over 12.5 viewers watched the film when it aired in 2007, and it was awarded a number of prizes including the German Television Prize, the 2007 viewers’ choice BAMBI, the DIVA Award as “TV movie of the year” and the award for “best TV film” at the 2007 Shanghai Television Festival. teamWorx’ latest productions scheduled to be broadcast in 2008 include «Mogadischu» (airing on ARD), directed by Roland Suso Richter and starring Thomas Kretschmann, Nadja Uhl, Christian Berkel and Jürgen Tarrach, the three-part film «Die Patin» (airing on RTL) starring Veronica Ferres (direction: Miguel Alexandre), and the new crime series «Unschuldig» (airing on ProSieben) with Alexandra Neldel, Clemens Schick, Erhan Emre and Loretta Stern. «Rudi Dutschke» (direction: Stefan Krohmer, screenplay: Daniel Nocke), «Grzimek» and «Der Vulkan» are also scheduled to go into production soon. teamWorx not only stands for outstanding fictional programming, but has also made a name for itself in high-end (corporate) image films. Films commissioned by Bertelsmann AG included «The Spirit» and the image film «Catching the Stars», which was watched by more than two million people at the Expo 2000 in Hanover and «World of Passion». teamWorx also produced «The Journey» for the RTL Group, as well as the image film «Just in Time» for the Deutsche Post AG, which won the first prize in the newcomers category of the 2006 German marketing film competition. In January 2008 teamWorx continued to expand on its activities in the field of image and advertising films by founding the division teamworx commercial. Beyond developing and producing its own material and formats, teamWorx is committed to advancing young talent in film and television. Nico Hofmann has lectured at the Baden-Württemberg Movie Academy as a professor in “project studies of scenic film” since 1995. In 2000 he and Bernd Eichinger jointly called the German newcomer award FIRST STEPS into being. The award is meant to help aspiring directors
A production by FAMA FILM AG
Th e g o a l g e t te r ’ s s h i p
PRESS KIT
page 16
Company profile teamWorx Television & Film GmbH
with their first few steps in the business and gave young talents like Stefan Krohmer (Grimme Awards in Gold 2002 and 2004), Sven Taddicken (nominated for the Student Oscar 2000), Christoph Stark and Sven Bohse an opportunity to adapt their ideas for the screen. teamWorx has offices in Potsdam, Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Ludwigsburg and Leipzig.
A production by FAMA FILM AG
Th e g o a l g e t te r ’ s s h i p
PRESS KIT
page 17
Company profile and filmography FAMA FILM AG Co-Production FAMA FILM AG was founded in Bern in 1987 and features a production and a distribution division.The company has been based in Zurich since 2000 (before that in Bern). FAMA FILM AG produces and implements independent documentaries and feature films for cinema and TV. In addition, the FAMA FILM AG production division acquires material and scripts, provides dramaturgical and/or production consultation for directors and authors, and participates in national and international co-produced film projects.
Filmography year
title
genre
director
2010 Trouble no more
Feature
Andy Bausch
2010 Zwerge sprengen
Feature
Christof Schertenleib
2010 Der Choreograf HEINZ SPOERLI
Documentary
Werner Zeindler
2009 Der Fürsorger
Feature
Lutz Konermann
2009 Perpetuum mobile
Shortfilm
Sebastian Kenney
2008 Wimper
Short animation
Marcel Hobi
2007 Die Tunisreise
Documentary
Bruno Moll
2006 Giraffes Don’t Go To Heaven
Short animation
Philip Delaquis / John mTimms
2006 Feierabend
Shortfilm
Alex E. Kleinberger
2005 Der Skifahrer
Shortfilm
Martin Guggisberg
2004 Fremde im Paradies
TV movie
Manuel Siebenmann
2004 chyenne
Shortfilm
Alexander Meier
2004 La femme de Gilles
Feature
Frédéric Fonteyne
2004 Lücken im Gesetz
TV movie
Christof Schertenleib
2004 Cattolica
Feature
Rudolph Jula
2003 Böse Zellen
Feature
Barbara Albert
2003 Globi
Animation
Robi Engler
2002 Züri West – am Blues vorus
Documentary
Annina Furrer / Regula Begert
2002 Bunker
Documentary
Martina Reuter / Gavin Hodge
2002 Le Club des Chômeurs
Feature
Andy Bausch
A production by FAMA FILM AG
Th e g o a l g e t te r ’ s s h i p
PRESS KIT
page 18
Filmography FAMA FILM AG
year
genre
director
2002 Giuventetgna dultsch utschi
title
TV movie
Christian Schocher
2002 Ibiza
Shortfilm
Bettina Oberli
2002 Brombeerchen
Feature
Oliver Rihs
2002 Nachts im Park
Feature
Uwe Janson
2001 Mannheim - New York
Documentary
Elke Baur
2000 Die wahren Liebhaber
TV Documentation
Peter Aschwanden
2000 TATORT - Chaos
TV movie
Christof Schertenleib
2000 Der letzte Sommer
TV movie
Sascha Weibel
1999 Nordrand
Feature
Barbara Albert
1999 Une liaison pornographique
Feature
Frédéric Fonteyne
1999 Grosse Gefühle
Feature
Christof Schertenleib
1999 Not Vital
Documentation
Hercli Bundi
1999 TATORT - Alp-Traum
TV movie
Clemens G. Klopfenstein
1999 Adrian Frutiger
TV Documentation
Anne Cuneo
1998 Megacities
Documentary
Michael Glawogger
1998 The Magic Forest
Animation
Volker Collmann
1998 Elles
Feature
Luis Galvao Teles
1997 The man in grey
Feature
Pericles Hoursoglou
1996 La Freccia Azzurra
Animation
Enzo d'Alò
1996 Lisa
Feature
Jan Keymeulen
1996 Guevote
Documentary
Roland Sanchez
1995 Stille Nacht
Feature
Dani Levy
1995 Reizendes Gift
Documentary
Priska & Martin Forter
1995 El Techo del Mundo
Feature
Felipe Vega
1995 Liebe Lügen
Feature
Christof Schertenleib
1994 Der Stand der Bauern
Documentary
Christian Iseli
1993 Deckname: Rosa
Documentary
Heidi Specogna
1993 Geteilte Nacht
Feature
Pius Morger
1992 Anna annA
Feature for children
Greti Kläy / Jürgen Brauer
1992 I was on Mars
Feature
Dani Levy
1991 Tania la Guerrillera
Documentary
Heidi Specogna
A production by FAMA FILM AG
Th e g o a l g e t te r ’ s s h i p
PRESS KIT
page 19
Filmography FAMA FILM AG
year
genre
director
1991 Grauholz
title
Documentary
Christian Iseli
1991 Billi
Shortfilm
Priska Forter
1990 Die zukünftigen Glückseligkeiten
Feature
Fred van der Kooij
1989 Johnny Sturmgewehr
Feature
Ueli Mamin
1988 RobbyKallePaul
Feature
Dani Levy
1988 Le terroriste suisse
Documentary
Christian Iseli
1987 Alpenglühn
Documentary
S. Horrisberger / N. Wiedmer
Nieder mit den Alpen
Documentary
Adrian Winkler / Laurin Merz
Gränzgänger
Documentary
Colette Kalt
Der Lingwurm
TV movie
Thomas Hess
Projets en dévéloppement
Gottfried Honegger - on doit construire le monde TV documentary
Roman Meyer May 2010
A production by FAMA FILM AG
