ABOVE AND BELOW (2015) - ♦♦♦♦ 

Directed by - Nicolas Steiner

"NICOLAS STEINER makes his staggering feature debut with his ambitious documentary that follows the lives of people living on the margins of society, whether by will or by force. While they never meet, they seem to bond in a metaphysical way and are brought together on the big screen through their embodiment of determination and a human instinct of survival. 

ABOVE AND BELOW is a film that blends the boundaries between documentary and fiction, and uses a creative approach to the filmmaking method as a whole. While it follows the stories of its individual characters, it tells it sparingly and this allows for a deeper connection with them that naturally draws us into their world. This connection is enhanced by the stunning work of cinematography, daringly shot on wide aspect ratio and with a vivid colour scheme that challenges the looks of higher budget movies and makes the most of settings that have inspired such productions in the past. 

But it is also a showcase for sculptural editing. The film is moulded through an editing process that very sensible to the higher concept of the film, and together with the musical score, makes ABOVE AND BELOW a lyrical, suggestive and an overall wonderful meditative experience."

Documentary, Switzerland/Germany