SYNOPSIS
From the taiga in Siberia over the primary forests of Romania to the primeval forest in Peru: around the world, billions of dollars are made from illegal logging. First World consumers are happy about low prices at the hardware and furniture stores, but would doubtless be shocked if they knew the origins of these goods. Alexander von Bismarck, the Iron Chancellor's great-great-great-nephew, has been on the timber mafia's trail for years. As head of the Environmental Investigation Agency in Washington, he tirelessly takes to the road. He doesn't shy from changing persona and appearance and employing concealed technical means to bring illegal activities to light. He knows the swamp of crime can't be drained while corrupt politicians and idle authorities remain indifferent to these illegal activities. So for Alexander von Bismarck, an essential part of his work, over and above his detective activities, is creating political and public awareness of the disastrous consequences of forest depletion – as the state of the planet's "green lung" has long since assumed dramatic proportions. This wake-up-call documentary follows Von Bismarck and his comrades into the hell of profit-lust and back again.
Full Synopsis
Director
Monica Lăzurean-Gorgan
was the delegate producer of Adina Pintili's Golden Bear Winner TOUCH ME NOT. With her newly established company Manifest Film, she produced ACASA, MY HOME, which won an award at Sundance 2020. She also successfully directed A MERE BREATH (2016), which won Best Documentary at LET'S CEE Film Fest and in Sarajevo.
Director
Ebba Sinzinger
is a producer, scriptwriter and director. Films she produced and coproduced like BROTHERS OF THE NIGHT and DOMAINE by Patric Chiha, THE FORGOTTEN SPACE by Noël Burch and Allan Secula or PIANOMANIA, have won awards in Berlin, Venice and Locarno. For her directorial work, she received the Upper Austrian Cultural Award for Film in 1997.
Director
Michaela Kirst
worked for many years as a journalist in New York and has headed the Berlin office of Sagafilm since 2011. She realizes documentaries for TV and cinema as director and/or producer. Her films like DISGUSTINGLY HEALTHY, BROWN BABIES – GERMANY'S LOST CHILDREN or CRIME SCENE RAIN FOREST have won many awards.
TEAM
A Film By
Monica Lăzurean-Gorgan, Michaela Kirst, Ebba Sinzinger
With
Environmental Investigation Agency - Alexander von Bismarck
David Gehl, Julia Urrunaga
Agent Green - Gabi Păun
Bogdan Micu
ORDEPIA - Juan Tapayuri Murayari, Segundo Pizango Inuma
Cinematography
Attila Boa, Jakub Bejnarowicz, Jörg Burger, Lukas Gnaiger, Jerzy Palacz
Editing
Roland Stöttinger, Andrea Wagner
Sound Recording
Hjalti Bager-Jonathansson, Claus Benischke, Nora Czamler,
Andreas Pils, Peter Rösner
Sound Design
Simon Bastian
Sound Mix
Matthias Schmidt
Color Grading, Mastering
Martin Heckmann
Co-Producer
Michaela Kirst, sagamedia
Producers
Vincent Lucassen, Ebba Sinzinger, Monica Lăzurean-Gorgan,
Adrian Sitaru, Thomas Tielsch
