International premiere
Yellow
A controversial portrait of one of the myths of art history. A surprising glance at the infamous Vincent Van Gogh.
Based on Vincent van Gogh’s letters to his brother Theo, the film depicts the artist’s problem of hiring models and his difficult relationship with them. Some ‘problems’ that today would be seen as something else.
German actor Ben Becker plays the iconic artist, undefined by time or place, with Austrian theatre star Birgit Minnichmayr as one of his models. They present a portrait of the artist far removed from the usual mythology and closer to a minute depiction of his working routine, revealing some surprising attitudes and shocking situations. Instead of showing the usual popular paintings, we experience the struggle to get there.
Driven by the search for a new approach to show van Gogh’s hyper-eccentric and notorious behaviour, which has long since become a cliché of a cliché, the film explores new realities. Through an episodic structure and astonishing naturalistic performances, we see various bizarre moments that put the icon in a different perspective. Which puts us in front of a mirror: how do we create our myths? Who defines our canon? Isn't it time to redefine our cultural references? Do you think we would show a ‘standard’ biopic of a famous artist in Rebels?
Javier Garcia Puerto
Oliver Hirschbiegel (1957) is a German director, producer and screenwriter. He made his cinema debut in 2001 with the psychological thriller “The Experiment”, which won him several awards (including the German Film Award). His subsequent films were also successful. The drama “Downfall” (2004), about Hitler’s last 12 days, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and was nominated for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year. “Five Minutes of Heaven” (2009) premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and won Hirschbiegel the Best Director award. He has also directed several TV series – the first season of “Borgia” (2011), three episodes of “4 Blocks” and most recently “Unwanted” for Sky and “Constellation” for Apple+.
Das Experiment (Eksperiment, PÖFF 2001), Mein letzter Film (2002), Der Untergang (Allakäik, PÖFF 2004), Ein ganz gewöhnlicher Jude (Just an Ordinary Jew, 2005), The Invasion (Invasioon, 2007), Five Minutes of Heaven (2009), Diana (2013), Der Maler (2021, doc), Yellow (2024, co-dir)
Albert Oehlen (1954) is a German painter, installation artist and musician. He lives and works in Switzerland and Spain. He has been described as one of the most respected and influential yet controversial contemporary painters. Over the years he has experimented with different styles and mediums. His works can be found in numerous public collections (Museum of Modern Art in New York, Tate Modern in London, Musée National d'Art Moderne in Paris, and many more). He is a long-time friend and collaborator with Oliver Hirschbiegel.
Bad Painter (2023), Yellow (2024, co-dir)