Kinders

A touching film about hidden potential, creativity, integration, the power of music and the possible future of our society. It shows new ways of inspiring adolescent creativity and is a push for a new education policy. The film won the Audience Award at Diagonale in Graz and the Jury Award in Sarajevo. The screening will be followed by Q&A with the director Arman T. Riahi.

Synopsis

Kinders shows a musical world that is more open and richer than the world the children came from, a world where they learn to trust themselves. It gives them access to a day-to-day life in which they are heard and seen and their needs are respected. Through a music project, we learn from Arash and Arman T. Riahi what really goes on in our children’s lives – their worries, joys and desires. A mature film about children – empathetic, merciless, and inspiring.

Director’s statement

The road that the young people travelled during filming safely led them to unimagined highs and lows, ultimately transporting them to new worlds in which a rich abundance of chances and opportunities are open to them in a way that was entirely inaccessible to them before. The road is full of touching, exciting, and exhilarating moments that we capture in this film. In “Kinders”, we show the power and potential of music as well as the development and self-actualization of the children as they are supported and encouraged in their day-to-day lives.

Festivals & Awards (selection)

Diagonale, Festival of Austrian Film 2016 – Audience Award | Austrian Film Award, 2016 – Nominee Best Documentary | Sarajevo Film Festival, 2017 – Special Jury Prize (Documentary Competition) | Trieste Film Festival, 2017 | Filmfest Vaduz, 2017

Director’s bio

Arash T. Riahi was born 1972 in Iran, lives since 1982 in Vienna. He is a writer, director & producer. Studied Film and the Arts. Has written, directed and produced several award-winning documentaries, shorts, experimental films, music videos and commercials. His films have won more than 70 international awards. His first feature film “For a moment, freedom” was the Austrian candidate for the Academy Awards 2010. He also works as teacher and media-coach.

Arman T. Riahi was born in Iran and grew up in Vienna, Austria, where he did his first short films as a teenager. He studied media technologies and worked as a screen- and graphic designer in London & Vienna. His short film “Elektronikschrott” won the nationwide short film award “Shorts On Screen”. Since 2005 Riahi works as an independent director and author for several movie production companies in Vienna.