Kriegskinder

German public channel Das Erste (”The First”) currently runs a four part series (of each 45 minutes) about and with war (WW2) children. The series made through the MDR, that is based in Leipzig, and produced by local company LE Vision, includes a huge research work that has been done to let personal stories come forward before it is too late. As the participating children are now in their late 70’es or 80’es.

I saw the 3rd part and It is moving stories that come forward about children, who lose their parents, about children who were at the front as teenage soldiers, about children who still in their old age have traumatic experiences. It is amazing that they have survived, you often think.

The archive material presented is very impressive. The voice-off commentary that takes us by the hand is very well chosen text- and tone-wise. The use of music is balanced. It is a work full of respect for the characters. In a non-sensationalistic frame, yet of course you sense a sometimes too schematic and predictable structure fit for prime time television.

The 4th part is on monday April 6, the series can be watched online for a limited period and is son to be released on dvd.  

http://www.mdr.de/kriegskinder/
http://www.levision.de/

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Tue Steen Müller
Tue Steen Müller

Müller, Tue Steen
Documentary Consultant and Critic, DENMARK

Worked with documentary films for more than 20 years at the Danish Film Board, as press officer, festival representative and film consultant/commissioner. Co-founder of Balticum Film and TV Festival, Filmkontakt Nord, Documentary of the EU and EDN (European Documentary Network).
Awards: 2004 the Danish Roos Prize for his contribution to the Danish and European documentary culture. 2006 an award for promoting Portuguese documentaries. 2014 he received the EDN Award “for an outstanding contribution to the development of the European documentary culture”. 2016 The Cross of the Knight of the Order for Merits to Lithuania. 2019 a Big Stamp at the 15th edition of ZagrebDox. 2021 receipt of the highest state decoration, Order of the Three Stars, Fourth Class, for the significant contribution to the development and promotion of Latvian documentary cinema outside Latvia. In 2022 he received an honorary award at DocsBarcelona’s 25th edition having served as organizer and programmer since the start of the festival.
From 1996 until 2005 he was the first director of EDN (European Documentary Network). From 2006 a freelance consultant and teacher in workshops like Ex Oriente, DocsBarcelona, Archidoc, Documentary Campus, Storydoc, Baltic Sea Forum, Black Sea DocStories, Caucadoc, CinéDOC Tbilisi, Docudays Kiev, Dealing With the Past Sarajevo FF as well as programme consultant for the festivals Magnificent7 in Belgrade, DOCSBarcelona, Verzio Budapest, Message2Man in St. Petersburg and DOKLeipzig. Teaches at the Zelig Documentary School in Bolzano Italy.

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