The Seasons in Quincy: Four Portraits of John Berger
Synopsis
'Ways of Listening', (Colin MacCabe), deals with fathers and friendship. 'Spring', (Christopher Roth), considers Berger's writing on our relationship with animals. 'A Song for Politics', (Colin MacCabe and Bartek Dziadosz), reflects on politics through archive footage, song and a discussion between Berger and several young left-wing thinkers. 'Harvest', (Tilda Swinton), revisits Quincy to meditate on belonging and continuity with Berger and his son Yves.
Berlinale 2016 - World premiere
Details
- Year
- 2016
- Type of film
- Features
- Running time
- 90 mins
- Director
-
Colin MacCabe, Christopher Roth, Bartek Dziadosz, Tilda Swinton
- Producer
- Derek Jarman Lab, Birkbeck, University of London, Lily Ford, Colin MacCabe,
- Executive Producer
- Tilda Swinton, Steven Connor, Adam Bartos, Vijay Vaidyanathan
- Editor
- Christopher Roth, Bartek Dziadosz, Assistant Editor: Walter Stabb
- Screenwriter
- Tilda Swinton, Christopher Roth, Ben Lerner (contributing writer)
- Director of Photography
- Nick Ward, Jeanne Tremsal, Bea Moyes, Lenny Flohr, Bartek Dziadosz
- Sound
- Walter Stabb, Lily Ford, Sally Mumby Croft
- Composer
- Simon Fisher Turner
- Principal cast
- John Berger, Yves Berger, Melina Berger, Vincent Berger, Sandra Berger, Jules Linglin, Tilda Swinton, Colin MacCabe, Christopher Roth, Ben Lerner, Askshi Singh, Xavier Swinton Byrne, Honor Swinton Byrne,
Categories
Production Status
Production Company
A Derek Jarman Lab (UK) production, with support from University of Pittsburgh (US), Silicon Valley Community Foundation (US) and Pannonia Foundation (US)
Derek Jarman Lab
BirkbeckUniversity of London
LIDC
Room B11
36 Gordon Square
London
WC1H 0PD
Sales Company
Derek Jarman Lab
Zoe KandylaBirkbeck
University of London
LIDC
Room B11
36 Gordon Square
London
WC1H 0PD
Page updates
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