THE FOLDS OF THE KING

A documentary by Matthias van Baaren
Documentary  |  33 min  |  AUT  |  2011

SYNOPSIS

"The Folds of the King" is a documentary about simultaneous interpreters. Two interpreters sit in a booth. Using headsets, they listen to prerecorded English interview passages (these "originals" are inaudible to the viewer), which they simultaneously translate into German. The source interviews are conversations with translators, translation scholars, interpreters, politicians, philosophers of language, neurolinguists, and others. Approaching the process of translation from a great variety of perspectives, the film also allows the viewer to become part of that process.

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FESTIVALS (SELECTION)

Diagonale 2011

Nyon – Visions du Reel 2011 – Official Selection

Uppsala International Short Film Festival 2011

Kassel Documentary Film Festival 2011

Leeds International Film Festival 2011

DIRECTOR'S COMMENT

When I began research for "The Folds of the King" in the winter of 2007, I was fascinated by the idea of broaching an infinitely complex subject such as language, which ultimately defies comprehension. Another aspect that was particularly appealing to me was to make a film that would take place in the smallest conceivable setting. Two people in a booth, not much larger than a telephone box, in an empty studio. No music, no explanations, no interviewer asking questions.A film about and around understanding.

QUOTES

»A minimalist but dense and complex examination of speech and understanding.« – DIE PRESSE

»Realisation and edit bring everything together without being pretentious…Magnificent.« – SCHNITT – DAS FILMMAGAZIN

»An amusing play with risk and liveliness of speech move the brechtian effect of alienation to a modern subject.« – VISIONS DU RÉEL

»Matthias van Baaren, the great hope of the local film and his short film „The Folds of the king“ impresses the critics in Graz.« – OKTO

»A striking documentary that shows that non-violent forms of protest and civil disobedience can change the world, Everyday Rebellion is made with grace and insight. It gently underscores how violence isn’t the only answer...« – SCREEN INTERNATIONAL

» An austere, constantly surprising, immensely entertaining essay on language, 
simultaneous translation, the pitfalls of communication « – SIGHT & SOUND – THE INTERNATIONAL FILM MAGAZINE

INFO

RUNNING TIME – 33 minutes
ORIG. LANGUAGES – German
LOCATIONS – Austria
SUBTITLES – German, English
SCREENING FORMAT – DCP
SOUND FORMAT – Dolby Digital 5.1
ASPECT RATIO – 16:9
PICTURES/SEC – 24

CREW

WRITER & DIRECTOR
Matthias van Baaren

CINEMATOGRAPHER
Mario Minichmayr

SOUND RECORDISTS
Nils Kirchhoff

EDITORS
Alexandra Löwy, Gerd Berger

PRODUCTION MANAGERS
Martin Motal

PRODUCERS
Arash T. Riahi

FEATURING

VERA RIBARICH
SUSANNE WATZEK
HERWIG BAUER
INGRID K. CHRISTOFFELS
MATTHIAS FLATSCHER
EVA HOLZMAIR-RONGE
INGRID KURZ
WOLFGANG PETRITSCH
FRANZ PÖCHHACKER
KARIN REITHOFER
ANDREAS SPIEGL
ALEXANDER ZIGO

PARTNERS