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GIFFONI EXPERIENCE 2010 - 18.31 July

Sections & Films

SAME SAME BUT DIFFERENT

Category: Edition 2010

Synopsis

After finishing school Benjamin, a young German, goes on a trip to Cambodia with his mate Ed. In Phnom Penh Ben meets the Cambodian girl Sreykeo and instantly falls in love with her. She takes him to the bizarre and colourful reality of Cambodia and Ben enjoys the time he spends with her in that mysterious country torn between modernity and belief in ancient spirits. Back in Germany he starts his internship at the publishing house. He can’t get Sreykeo out of his head. A little later Sreykeo tells him that her chronic cough is not caused by tonsillitis: in fact she is HIV-positive. Afraid that he might be infected he hurries to the next doctor but his result is negative. Nevertheless he is in despair: what is he supposed to do now? Ben’s life is thrown into a time of misunderstandings and doubts until he realizes that he wants to fight for his love and remain together with Sreykeo forever.

 

Sinossi

Finita la scuola, Benjamin, un giovane tedesco, parte insieme al suo amico Ed per un viaggio in Cambogia. A Phnom Penh, Ben incontra una ragazza del posto, Sreykeo, e di colpo si innamora di lei. Sreykeo lo guida nella realtà esotica e incantevole della Cambogia. Ben, attraverso gli occhi di lei, scopre un mondo misterioso, sospeso tra modernità e antiche credenze. Tornato in Germania, Ben inizia un tirocinio in una casa editrice, ma non riesce a dimenticare Sreykeo. Poco dopo, la ragazza gli rivela che la tosse cronica di cui soffre non è causata da una tonsillite: Sreykeo è sieropositiva. Temendo di aver contratto il virus HIV, Ben si sottopone al test: il risultato è negativo. Tuttavia il giovane è disperato perché non sa cosa fare. La sua vita piomba in un abisso di dubbi e incertezze, finché Ben capisce di voler legare il suo destino a quello di Sreykeo.

 

Original Title SAME SAME BUT DIFFERENT
Category Official Competition
Section Generator +16
Tipology Feature Film
Duration 107'
Production Year 2009
Nationality Germany
Directed by Detlev Buck
Screenplay Ruth Toma
Based on the book "Same Same but Different"
by Benjamin Prüfer
Director of photography Jana Marsik
Editor Dirk Grau
Production Design Udo Kramer
Costume Design Bisrat Negassi
Sound Christian Conrad, Dominik Schleier
Music Konstantin Gropper
Main cast David Kross (Ben)
Apinya Sakuljaroensuk (Sreykeo)
Stefan Konarske (Ed)
Jens Harzer (Henry, il fratello di Ben/Henry, Ben’s brother)
Anne Müller (Claudia)
Michael Ostrowski (Alex)
Produced by Claus Boje

same same but different regDetlev Buck
Born 1962 in Bad Segeberg, Germany. He studied at the German Film & Television Academy in Berlin from 1985 to 1989. He made a number of short films during his studies, including NORMAL BITTE (1986), EINE ROLLE DUSCHEN (1987), WAS DRIN IST (1988). His first feature as a director was RABBIT FEVER (1991). His feature films include NO MORE MR. NICE GUY (1993), JAILBIRDS (1996), LOVE YOUR FEMALE NEIGHBOUR! (1998), TOUGH ENOUGH (2006). He made acting appearances in several of his own films as well as in films by other directors such as Leander Haussmann (SUN ALLEY, screened at GFF 2001) and Michael Haneke (THE WHITE RIBBON, 2009). In 2007 Buck directed HANDS OFF MISSISSIPPI, screened at GFF.

 

Detlev Buck
Nato nel 1962 a Bad Segeberg, in Germania. Dal 1985 all’89 studia alla German Film & Television Academy di Berlino. Durante gli studi gira alcuni corti, tra cui NORMAL BITTE (1986), EINE ROLLE DUSCHEN (1987), WAS DRIN IST (1988). Debutta nel lungometraggio con RABBIT FEVER (1991). Tra i suoi film ricordiamo NO MORE MR. NICE GUY (1993), JAILBIRDS (1996), LOVE YOUR FEMALE NEIGHBOUR! (1998), GIOVANE E VIOLENTO (2006). Ha recitato in diversi film diretti da lui e da altri registi, tra cui Leander Haussmann (SUN ALLEY, GFF 2001) e Michael Haneke (IL NASTRO BIANCO, 2009). Nel 2007 firma HANDS OFF MISSISSIPPI, presentato al GFF.

 

Director's statement
“Since film school always wanted to shoot a movie about true love. Not only a love interest sidekick within another story but just about love. For years I couldn’t find the right story for my film. Until now. With the true story of Benjamin and Sreykeo I have found what I was looking for. Before I read the book I didn’t realize that the importance of love grows with responsibility. You can learn a lot from Benjamin and his story: love can be hard work and HIV doesn’t mean necessarily that death is sitting on your doorstep”.

 

Dichiarazioni del regista
“Fin dai tempi della scuola di cinema, ho sempre voluto girare un film dedicato esclusivamente a una storia di vero amore, e non un film in cui l’amore fosse un elemento di supporto all’interno di un’altra vicenda. Per anni non ho trovato la storia giusta per il mio film. Fino a oggi. Con la vera storia di Benjamin e Sreykeo ho trovato quello che stavo cercando. Prima di leggere il libro non mi rendevo conto che l’amore non può prescindere dall’assunzione di responsabilità. Si può imparare molto da Benjamin e dalla sua storia: l’amore può essere un duro lavoro e l’HIV non significa necessariamente che la morte se ne stia seduta alla tua porta”.

 

Production
Boje Buck Produktion GmbH
Kurfürstendamm 226, 10719 Berlin - Germany
phone +49 308859130
fax +49 3088591315
www.bojebuck.de

 

World sales

Festival contact
Films Distribution
www.filmsdistribution.com