DIRECTORS EXCHANGE - Double Trouble: The art of Co-directing

A collage of the participants. upper line, left to right: Lina Sieckmann, Miri Ian Gossing, Filipe Matzembacher, Leela Varghese, lower line, left to right: Emma Hough Hobbs, Ana David, Marcio Reolon — Copyright © TEDDY DIRECTORS EXCHANGE - upper line, left to right: Lina Sieckmann (© Sieckmann, Gossing), Miri Ian Gossing (© Sieckmann, Gossing), Filipe Matzembacher (© Belen Asad), Leela Varghese (© Kyahm Ross), lower line, left to right: Emma Hough Hobbs (© Kyahm Ross), Ana David (© Joana Linda), Marcio Reolon (© Rafael Barion)

Monday, 17th of February – 11:00-11:45

HUB75 I Marlene Dietrich Platz, 10785 Berlin
Free entry without accreditation

Collaboration, the natural process of developing a story together then taking a leap and jumping in the same director's chair, what are the benefits of having a directing partner and do they outweigh the negatives, if there are any? Let us find out with the directors of Lesbian Space Princess, Night Stage und Sirens Call.
Miri Ian Gossing, Lina Sieckmann, Marcio Reolon, Leela Varghese, Emma Hough Hobbs, Ana David, Filipe Matzembacher

MODERATION

Ana David

Programmer, Berlinale Panorama / Márgenes

A person with short, blonde streaked hair and brown eyes wears an iridescent blouse. — Copyright © Joana Linda

Ana David is a festival programmer and curator working between Berlin and Portugal. She’s been an advisor to the official program of the Berlinale since 2024, a member of the advisory board at Berlinale Panorama since 2017, and a programmer at Márgenes - Festival Internacional de Cine de Madrid. Between 2021-2024 she was curator at Batalha Centro de Cinema (Porto), where she co-curated the thematic programmes ‘Politics of Sci-Fi’, ‘Domesticities’ and ‘After Hours: Clubbing on Film’. Previous programming positions include IndieLisboa, Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival, Oslo/Fusion, BFI London Film Festival, and Queer Lisboa, the latter as co-director. She has organized retrospectives dedicated to Angelo Madsen Minax, Claire Denis, Joanna Hogg, Luísa Homem, Annemarie Jacir, Mai Zetterling, and Jane Campion.

DIRECTORS

Lina Sieckmann & Miri Ian Gossing

Directors, "SIRENS CALL", Forum
Pronouns Lina Sieckmann (she/her), Miri Ian Gossing (she/he/they)

Two people stand facing each other and look into the camera. The person on the left has blonde, shoulder-length hair. The person on the left has long hair thrown over their right shoulder with fringes and a link chain around her neck. — Copyright © Lina Sieckmann, Miri Ian Gossing

Miri Ian Gossing & Lina Sieckmann have been working as an artist and directors duo since 2012. 

After studying fine arts and film at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne and the Düsseldorf Academy of Fine Arts they created an oeuvre of 16mm films that combines documentary imagery with fiction and found footage. 

Their artistic research revolves around the engagement with hauntologies, traumatized landscapes and queer sensibilities.

Their works are characterised by the depth of research and contact with subcultural communities and individuals, as well as by the clear lines in their approach to architecture and postmodern worlds which shape desire, anxiety and alienation.

Their films, have been awarded with several prizes such as the German Short Film Award in Gold and the Wim Wenders Grant.They have been showcased internationally, including at Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum for Contemporary Art, the International Film Festival Rotterdam, Image Forum Tokyo and Anthology Film Archives in New York City. 

Since 2019, they have been curating “Blonde Cobra – Festival for Queer and Experimental Cinema” in Cologne. 

Gossing and Sieckmann live and work in Cologne, Germany, and Portland, Oregon, USA.

Marcio Reolon, Filipe Matzembacher

Directors, "NIGHT STAGE", Panorama
Pronouns Marcio Reolon (he/they), Filipe Matzembacher (they/he)

Two portraits are arranged next to each other. On the left is Marcio Reolon, a person with short, blonde hair and a denim jacket with a white collar standing casually in front of a train. On the right is Filipe Matzembacher, a person with a dark blonde undercut wearing a black top. A pair of headphones is hanging around the neck. — Copyright © Collage Marcio Reolon (© Rafael Barion), Filipe Matzembacher (© Belen Asad)

Directors and screenwriters born in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Their first feature SEASHORE premiered in the Forum section in 2015. Their second feature HARD PAINT premiered in the Panorama section in 2018, winning Best Film - Teddy Award and Best Panorama Film - C.I.C.A.E. jury. In Brazil, HARD PAINT was the main winner at the Rio Film Festival with four awards, including Film and Screenplay. They have also directed music videos and television content, such as the miniseries THE NEST (2016), which was the theme of a panel at Berlinale Talents. They are partners in the production company Avante Filmes. Marcio is also an actor.

Leela Varghese & Emma Hough Hobbs

Directors, "LESBIAN SPACE PRINCESS", Panorama
Pronouns Leela Varghese (she/her), Emma Hough Hobbs (she/they)

Two portraits are arranged next to each other. On the left is Leela Varghese. A seated person in a denim waistcoat with long, brown wavy hair. On the right is Emma Hough Hobbs. A person with brown plaits wearing a jumper with fringes. — Copyright © Collage Leela Varghese (© Kyahm Ross), Emma Hough Hobbs (© Kyahm Ross)

Emma Hough Hobbs (she/they) is a queer artist from Adelaide. They're a filmmaker, animator and production designer. Their award winning short On Film was in competition at SXSW Sydney 2023. As a props master they have worked on projects such as A24’s Talk To Me and Gold starring Zac Efron.

Leela Varghese (she/her) is an award winning Australian writer, director and musical comedian. She is known for telling joyful, fun and impactful queer stories that spotlight cultural diversity in Australia. She is also known for her on screen work as television presenter and voice actor.