Spring in Awe
4:00 min
Experimental Short
Martina Radwan, Director/Cinematographer/Co-Producer, Moira Demos, Co-Producer/Editor
Winner of the Media Awareness Award Sponsored by AIVF
The overpowering displays of Times Square put a spell on the world in a disturbing lullaby of global capitalism.
More About Spring in Awe from Director Martina Radwan
My story behind the film is very simple and very direct. I have been a political person all my life. I was amazed to see so many people, worldwide, on the streets protesting against the war in Iraq, and it didn't seem to matter to the government. I felt very helpless and wanted to be heard.
I have also had a lifelong fascination with Times Square. Times Square is a symbol of entertainment and glamour everywhere in the world — that changed drastically when Disney took over and it became the Mecca of commerce. Seeing the horrible news of the war melting into the colorful fluorescent lights and therefore making them seem less horrible, made me very angry.
I told a friend of mine, Moira Demos, an editor, about my idea and she immediately agreed to collaborate with me. I went out to shoot on Times Square almost every night, depending on the news, and the next morning Moira would load in the footage and we would edit.
We had a very quick turnaround, roughly eight weeks, which I thought was important, because it was such an important and timely topic.
From the very beginning I was thinking about Natasha Atlas's version of "I Put a Spell on You" because I like the double meaning of the lyrics. Her interpretation gives the song another layer, it could be a love song, but you cannot miss the military choir in the background. I screened this film at Docu Days in Beirut. It was rewarding for me for the film to be shown in another affected country and to see people understand what I am aiming at.
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Martina Radwan, Director/Cinematographer/Co-Producer
Martina Radwan started her career in her native Germany in 1987 as a Camera Technician at ARRI, Berlin. In 1988 she began to work in production as an Assistant Camera person, working with DP's Robby Mueller, Juergen Juerges and Sophy Mantigneux and directors Wim Wenders and Albert Maysles. In 1995 she moved to New York and started to work as a Director of Photography and to shoot features, documentaries and shorts. Her work has screened at numerous festivals, and broadcast on PBS, HBO and the European ARTE channel. She has collaborated with directors Rebecca Miller, Alison McLean, Jenny Livingston, Pola Rappaport and Tina DiFeliciantonio. In 2001 she collaborated with Ellen Kuras as 2nd Camera Operator on Personal Velocity, which won the Cinematographer Award and The Grand Jury Price at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. Ferry Tales, a documentary she shot, got nominated for an Academy Award in 2004. In the spring of 2003, as a reaction to the political situation, she put together the idea for her short film Spring in Awe, which she realized by June 2003. Currently she is working on a documentary about identity and racism, which she will direct. You can reach her at maradwan@earthlink.net.
Moira Demos, Co-Producer/Editor
Moira Demos began her career in film as a lighting technician in 1996. In 1999 she was admitted into Studio Mechanics local 52, where she is still an active member. In 2001 she started work as an editor. Prior to Spring in Awe, her editing credits include Katja Esson's Academy Award nominated documentary Ferry Tales, and Amir Naderi's feature film Marathon which played at the Tribeca Film Festival among other festivals worldwide. She is currently studying directing at Columbia University's MFA film program. She is writing an original feature screenplay, producing a short film that she wrote entitled It's a Girl, and is in pre-production for a short film that she is scheduled to direct in August 2004.
Contact MediaRights to host a screening.
- Get alternative coverage of the War on Iraq.
- Ten ways to become media literate from the Center for Media Literacy.
- Fight for media democracy through the Just Media Project.