The secret to Nico-Icon's success," says Media Luna's Ida Martins, "is that it combines information with emotion. Documentaries are supposed to be info, info, info. It's so boring."

Boring is not a word you could apply to Susanne Ofteringer's account of Nico. From Berlin model to Warhol's muse through to heroin-scarred icon, the life of Christa Päffgen would make fascinating viewing even as a standard documentary.

But, says Martins, the real power of Ofteringer's second fuIl-length documentary (after 1990's Jeder Videorecorder ist ein potentieller Sender) is how it empathises with its subject. "Nico was a bad girl, a very bad girl, but the film doesn't judge her morally," she explains.

"Instead you get a feel for the mystery behind her."

Made for Germany's ZDF network, with over $US150,000 from the Nordrhein-Westfalen Film Commission, the most difficult and expensive part of the film's production was obtaining the rights to a mass of archive material. Full TV and video rights were only secured last month.

Sold in eight territories, including the US, Nico-Icon is a collage of vintage film footage, photos and interviews that, with the likes of Lou Reed, The Doors and Iggy Pop, has a great soundtrack as well.

Adam Minns

Prod co: Ciak Filmproduktion

Dir/scr: Susanne Ofteringer

Ph: Judith Kaufmann, Katarzyna Remin

Ed: Elle Brandenburger, Guido Krajewski

Cast: Nico, John Cale, Lou Reed, Andy Warhol

Running time: 72 min

Int sales: Media Luna

Screenings: 22 June 15.00 Praha; 23 June 17.30 Praha

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