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Retrospective Leonard Retel Helmrich’s films at Visions du Réel – Nyon 2007
The director’s ‘Single Shot Cinema’ method in focus

The international documentary film festival Visions du Réel – Nyon will screen a retrospective of the works of Dutch filmmaker Leonard Retel Helmrich at the festival’s 2007 edition which runs from April 20 – 26.
Leonard Retel Helmrich has achieved worldwide success with his feature documentaries THE EYE OF THE DAY and SHAPE OF THE MOON both part of a trilogy, with his latest documentary PROMISED PARADISE and is renown for his ‘Single Shot Cinema’ method. Especially SHAPE OF THE MOON won international acclaim at festivals like the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam and the Sundance Film Festival, winning the first prize at both.
Screening in Visions du Réel’s section ATELIERS, solely dedicated to Leonard Retel Helmrich, are the filmmaker’s documentaries PROMISED PARADISE (2006), SHAPE OF THE MOON (2004), FLIGHT FROM HEAVEN (2003) and THE EYE OF THE DAY (2001).
The screenings are followed by panel talks and workshops on the filmmaker’s ‘Single Shot Cinema’ principle. A method developed by Leonard Retel Helmrich in the tradition of the ‘Cinema Vérité’ and the ‘Direct Cinema’ to achieve greater form of reality and to capture tone and rhythm of the action.
In an early stage of Leonard Retel Helmrich’s’ career Visions du Réel recognized his talent and selected his works. In 2002 the festival awarded THE EYE OF THE DAY with the SRG SSR Idee Suisse Prize and the SSA/Suissimage Audience Prize.