A poetic documentary film of the paths of the wandering shepherd through Austria's hills and mountains with his partner and alternating helpers.
The footage was gathered in the years 2011 and 2012, proceeding from Styria's Alpine foothills in the colder portion of the year, into the mountainous country of Styria and up to the alpine pastures of the Wölz Tauern, back down to the gentler hills of eastern Styria after midsummer, into the region of Hartberg, and on down to southern Burgenland.
No elaborate animal transports are necessary for this lifestyle and way of working, nor stores of feed or litter. There is no dependence on buildings or places, just as there is no need to buy or lease land. Care is provided on site. Caravans and assorted equipment, such as flexible fences, are hauled by car to meet the herd. For a long time, Hans Breuer has been acquainted with most of the farmers along his route. These are often friendly toward him and his assistants, but sometimes also respond in a critical or unwelcoming manner. The meadows of these farmers are the fodder for the sheep.
The wandering shepherd with a poetic streak performs songs, including those of his own creation, at concerts, but also sings in the open countryside, under the sun and clouds of an ever-changing sky. The warning and guiding calls to the dogs as well as the sheep are musical gifts to the countryside.
My working concept for this situation is based on the radiance of poetic leverage of different scenes. Messages conveyed by images are woven musically in time with given sequences of sound. Image and sound sometimes remain synchronized, yet are also pointedly used asynchronously.
In part, the meaning of that which is seen is derived from the narratives of the shepherds, while associative stories also arise in the minds of the viewers. The migratory herd thus imparts itself in the imagination of the audience through both narrated sequences and poetic images. The chains of free associations in the flow of the film demand post-creative effort while leaving room for diverse interpretations by the recipients.
Magdalena Frey
www.ma-frey.com
3 окт 2024
