Tarr's Film Academy 2013

Tarr Béla : "While there are more and more images everywhere around us, paradoxically, we perceive the increasing devaluation of this beautiful language every day.
It is in this context that we are seeking to demonstrate, emphatically and convincingly, the importance of visual culture and the dignity of the image to the coming generation of filmmakers.
Our aspiration is to educate mature filmmakers who think responsibly, with the spirit of humanism, artists who have an individual outlook, an individual form of expression and who use their creative powers in the defence of the dignity of man.
Sarajevo offers the right home for this program as a multicultural city that is young and vibrant."

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Hungarian arthouse director Bela Tarr is opening a PhD-level filmmaking academy in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Film Factory, housed in Sarajevo University's School of Science and Technology, will bring together some of the world's top directors to teach a full-time, three-year program, culminating in students making full-length features.

Tarr will head the Film Factory as its dean, teaching master-classes along with visiting faculty that, for the first two semesters include Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, Jean-Michel Frodon, Jonathan Romney, Thierry Garrel, Ulrich Gregor, Tilda Swinton, Gus Van Sant, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Manuel Grosso, Carlos Reygadas, Aki Kaurismaki, Andras Renyi, Fred Kelemen, Kirill Razlogov, Jytte Jensen, Jim Jarmusch, Atom Egoyan and Apichatpong Weerasethakul.

The 16 students for the three-year program -- which will cost $19,000 a year -- will be drawn from an open call for applications Oct. 1-Oct. 21. The first semester will start mid-February. Applicants are expected to be established filmmakers and Tarr said the quality of films they submit, at least three each, would be the critical factor in their success.

source: Hungarian auteur to open academy. Sarajevo home for Tarr filmmaking school (Nick Holdsworth; Variety; 27 Sept 2012)

Because of the dramatic turn of the cultural policies, regarding cinema (but not only) in Hungary, Tarr Béla decided to put an end to his practice of cinema as a filmmaker, and also shut down his film company there. Maybe in another country, as a political dissident, will he resurrect as a post-graduate teacher for professional filmmakers. The line up of lecturers he has put together is impressive. Only then will we be able to speak of an official "School of Minimalist Cinema" (instead of "festival films")! No mystery and coincidences anymore about the affinities between these auteurs who conceive cinema in a very particular way, which is not taught in other schools or at festivals... And Contemplation is obviously a major part of it all, even if Tarr wouldn't like to endorse such "label".

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Update : Dean's message

Tarr Béla : "There are more and more images everywhere around us, and we can perceive the growing mediocrity of this beautiful language every day. It is in this context that we are seeking to demonstrate, emphatically and convincingly, the importance of visual culture and the dignity of the image to the coming generation of filmmakers.
Our aspiration is to educate mature filmmakers who think responsibly, with the spirit of humanism, artists who have an individual outlook, an individual form of expression and who use their creative powers in the defence of the dignity of man within the reality that surrounds us.
Probing questions concerning our outlook on the world and the state of our civilization must impact the work of the new programme of doctoral studies in Sarajevo. The main aim of the DLA (Doctor of Liberal Arts) program lies in the instruction of filmmakers who can give their own answers to social progressions.
My twenty-year experience as a professor in filmmaking has led to a belief that film art cannot be taught but rather discovered. Students are usually less receptive to education in general, than they are to discovering tools and ideas that speak to their personal plans and ambition. They are driven by their own curiosity and ideas and utilizing these makes the Film facory Programme no longer about simple formal education but about providing real help, in a process where both parties (teachers and students) can take part as equals. For this we depend on understanding the students’ individual sensitivity, their social and cultural background and their general knowledge.
Furthermore, all theoretical components of the programme would find their basis in practical work, where the teaching and learning dynamic is materialized in producing films.
As a necessary counter balancing point, we aim – as an absolute necessity - to also include film and art history instruction as a key component of a well-rounded programme. With the thorough knowledge of film history and attendant arts, we avoid the perils of aimless wandering through style and expression, so characteristic of starting-out artists around the world.
The students would first and foremost explore the relationship between literature and film, making literary adaptations. All film factory candidates must learn how to analyze a text, become acquainted with different dramaturgical structures and develop an acute understanding of all rules of character-building and portrayal. This is especially important as, based on many-years of personal experience; I see the biggest inadequacy of young filmmakers in a lack of dramaturgical knowledge resulting in inexperienced ‘actor-instruction’. To remedy this, I find organizing seminars, during which students can meet highly accomplished and remarkably sensitive actors, especially important. In this manner we offer developing filmmakers an opportunity to experience what happens on the other side of the camera and provide them with an understanding of different experiences in character building. The international scope of our student’s education cannot be overstressed – with seminars and master classes held by such world-famous filmmakers and artists whose oeuvre give authentic answers to the challenges of the portrayal of people in our era.
The exceptionally high profiled guest lecturers (world famous artists, writers, directors, actors, directors of photography) will, in one to two-week seminars, familiarize the students with the secrets of their art and open new roads for them, both creatively and professionally.

The Film Factory; July 10th, 2012. 

Béla Tarr

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Faculty lecturers :

• Béla Tarr (Hungary)
• Fred Kelemen (Germany)
• Jean-Michel Frodon (France)
• Jonathan Romney (UK)
• Jonathan Rosenbaum (USA)
• Dr. Kirill Razlogov, PhD (Russia)
• Jytte Jensen 
• Manuel Grosso (Spain)
• Ulrich Gregor (Germany)
• Dr. András Rényi, PhD (Hungary)
• Aki Kaurismaki (Finland)
• Carlos Reygadas (Mexico)
• Gus Van Sant (USA)
• Fridrih Thor Fridriksson (Iceland)
• Stephen and Timothy Quay (USA)
• Apichatpong Wheerasethakul (Thailand)
• Jim Jarmusch (USA)
• Tilda Swinton (UK)
• Thierry Garrel (France)
• Atom Egoyan (Canada)
• Enrico Ghezzi
• Ruth Waldburger
• Jean-Christophe Simon

Related :

• The Film Factory (Sarajevo University's School of Science and Technology) official website [BOSANSKI/ENGLISH]
• Béla Tarr ouvre une école de cinéma à Sarajevo (Jean-Michel Frodon; Slate; 30 Sept 2012)
• Tarr Béla's film company closes down
• Masterclass par Tarr Béla
• Tarr Béla quits cinema?