Reform Movement.
The Paradise Seekers (WT)
A group of seven young artists from Worpswede, Germany, strive to revolutionize life a century ago, challenging industrial society with their ideals of natural, free, and humane living, their journey spanning from the imperial era through World War I to the end of the Weimar Republic, explored in an animated documentary.
director: Klaus Stanjek
genre: animadoc – animated documentary
duration: approx. 90 mins.
project status: development/financing
production: maxim film
German title Die Paradies-Sucher (WT)
writer & director Klaus Stanjek
animation teaser Sonja Rohleder, Rainer Ludwigs, Arno Schumann, Dominika Wyrobek, Pieter Hardeman, Kai Hofmann, Jutta Melsheimer, Anastasija Kretzschmar (long version)
music teaser André Feldhaus
drone camera teaser Ilhan Coskun
sound design teaser Anders Wasserfall
experimental tests actor Arnold Preuß
narrator teaser Martin Baum
translations Ilona Rieke
research & production support Henriette Degener
script development and project development funded by
nordmedia Film- und Mediengesellschaft Lower Saxony/Bremen
production maxim film
in co-production with Cinetarium
special thanks to Verein der Freunde Worpswedes e.V.
Seven young artists are determined to revolutionize life itself. They challenge every aspect of their existence: their diet, attire, living arrangements, and even their approach to love. A century ago, this ambitious group from the small German village of Worpswede set out to create an alternative to the constraints of industrial society, seeking a more natural, free, and humane way of living.
Told from the perspective of these protagonists, the film takes the form of an animated documentary, tracing their journey across decades. It spans from the era of the German Empire and the tumult of the First World War, to the twilight of the Weimar Republic. Their path takes them from Worpswede to Monte Verità in Ascona, Switzerland.
The film poses critical questions: What becomes of their visionary aspirations? How enduring are their ideals? In a world still grappling with similar issues, their bold pursuit of renewal remains as relevant now as it was then, making their story a timeless reflection on the universal themes of human life.
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