UP THE RIVER WITH ACID
Harald Hutter | France, Canada 2023 | 64 min. | English, French with English subtitles
FRIDAY, 17.05. | 7 pm
De France, Saal 1 | TICKETS
Austrian premiere
In presence of Harald Hutter
Cautious glances and long takes, interspersed with Francine’s occasional voiceover as she writes her poems as a narrator – usually in the quiet company of her reclusive husband Horst. The gentle silence is broken only occasionally by fragments of her everyday life, such as the sound of a birdsong, the clattering of crockery or the sharpening of a pencil on paper. Since Horst has been diagnosed with dementia, everyday routines are increasingly difficult, but the memories of a full life are kept alive in their devotion to each other.
UP THE RIVER WITH ACID is a delicate 16mm portrait that accompanies the filmmaker’s parents for two days, capturing private moments as a visual memory while retaining universal resonance.
Director: Harald Hutter
Cinematography: Alex Nevill
Editing: Lucas Pandolfo, Harald Hutter
Sound: Rob Walker
Production: Harald Hutter
SCREENINGS AND AWARDS
Grand Prix et mention spéciale prix Loriden-Ivens/CNAP – Cinema du Reel 2023
Sélection Officielle – Ann Arbor Film Festival 2023
Sélection Officielle – Open City Documentary Film Festival 2023
Prix Alternatif – Corsica Doc 2023
Sélection Officielle – Pravo Ljudski Sarajevo Film Festival 2023
Sélection Officielle – L’Alternativa Film Festival Barcelona 2023
Sélection Officielle – Kasseler Dok Fest 2023
Sélection Officielle – Porto/Post/Doc 2023
BIOGRAPHY
Harald Hutter was born in Montreal, Canada in 1981. He holds a BFA in Art History from Concordia University and an MA in Film Theory from University College London. His first feature film Up the River with Acid won the Grand Prize at Cinéma du Réel and received a Special Mention for the Loriden-Ivens / CNAP Prize in 2023. His short films have won prizes, have been nominated by the British Council and have screened at numerous festivals internationally. Harald is currently at different stages of development on a number of documentaries and fiction films.
