In this week’s Four River Friday we are featuring Tobias Böttjer! His film Gangster won the Best Cinematography award.
The film begins with a gangster receiving an extraordinary message forcing him to drop his mask. As our film critic Boško Picula described the movie: „It is difficult to think of a more dramatic invitation to something that should in no way be dramatic. That is the charm of this simple, but very nuanced invitation that, from one moment to the next, changes from an atmospheric mystery into something completely different. To find out what exactly, you’ll have to watch this suspenseful story till the very last shot. Splendid.“
Read more about when Tobias realized he wants to become a filmmaker, what he thinks of the last year’s FRFF and find out whether he will be joining us with a new film this year! Follow our conversations with other young filmmakers every Friday in our Four River Friday section.
1. How did your love for filmmaking begin?
At first, I started with acting, and when I was 12 I was helping out at our local radio and TV station with production, in front of and behind the camera. From this experience I developed the urge to produce films myself.
2. How do you choose the topics for your films?
Many things can inspire you. For me, it was often the case that one aspect of an article I read or a conversation I have somehow sticks with me and then a bigger idea develops from it.
3. How did you like the last year’s edition of the festival?
I would have loved to travel to Karlovac to experience the festival live. I hope that I will have the opportunity to do so in the future. I think it was very nice that the festival team decided to do an online edition and not to cancel it. Right now, it is more important than ever that events take place (in any possible form) to show that the culture (musicians, filmmakers, actors,…) is there and is giving everything it can to be there, so that it can entertain people in the future as well.
4. How are your latest films developing?
Currently I am sitting at my desk a lot of the time, trying to bring forward new ideas. In 2020, despite the pandemic, we shot a new short film under strict conditions so as not to endanger anyone. This film (“One night only”) is currently still in post-production.
5. Will you participate at this year’s Four River Film Festival as well? If yes, what do you expect from our latest edition?
I would be very happy to be at FRFF 2021 with my film “Mother Earth” and I look forward to seeing more great films from other filmmakers.
6. Can you predict what will be our yellow theme for this year’s festival?
I have no idea, but I am very excited to see what the FRFF team will come up with.
