How To Make a Book With Steidl
dir. Gereon Wetzel, Jörg Adolph, Germany, 2010, 90 mins
Screening times
May 11 19:00, Kinoteka 2
May 12 17:00, Kinoteka 2
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Synopsis

The finest photography books in the world are being produced in an old publishing house in Göttingen: on top comes in the idea, at the bottom comes out the book. Almost 40 years ago, this ideal makes the 19-year-old Gerhard Steidl establish a publishing house. Today, internationally most renowned photographers queue to work with him. In spite of the humble staff of only 45 employees, the house's output amounts to 300 books of art and literature per year. And it produces for Karl Lagerfeld all the catalogues, flyers and invitations to Chanel's Haute-Couture-Shows. Our film shows Gerhard Steidl working with Joel Sternfeld, Robert Frank, Ed Ruscha, Robert Adams, John Cohen and many others; inbetween he visits his old companion Günter Grass. He equips exhibitions, visits ateliers and book stores all over the world and every week he meets Karl Lagerfeld in Paris to discuss the new Chanel catalogue. After his short, but far trips, at 5 in the morning he is already in the printing works, awaiting the change of shifts. His ambition makes want to control for himself every sheet that comes out of the printing machine. Made in Germany, but at home everywhere in the world. Prominent encounters , an incredible number of edited books and the work in the house impressively present the dimensions of Steidl's work and, last but not least, show the importance of photography books for the art.

A.P.

Wybrane nagrody i festiwale/Selected festivals and awards: 2010 – Dok Leipzig.

Makers

Producent/Produced by: Ingo Fliess

Ratings log in to rate this film

(Gosia30)
Rewelacja! Świetny pomysł, niezwykły bohater i znakomita realizacja! (Juliasiewiczowa)
(afrosajmon)
(Roger_Warszawa)
Fabuła interesująca,tłumaczenie filmu - żenujące. Błędy w terminach dot. fotografii i odmianie nazwisk,niezrozumienie kontekstu (glass,imprinting = wrażenie zamiast wytłoczenie),przekręcone słowa (perfum),potworki jęz.=kalki. (Kasienka)