Filmscreening »Dieter Meier – Ein Zufall«

Fascinated by music+lyrics, especially the song »Assistant's Cry«, (»100.000 people walking down the street, trying to protect their dream...«), early 80's, I became fan of YELLO, had all the records I listened to often.

By chance, when I was looking for help for my Undergrounder movie in Berlin,`86, I got in touch with Dieter Meier, »Come to Zurich and show me what you can do.« With my rickety VW Beetle (or was it already the Audi-50?), I drove, on a Sunday, from Hamburg ineinemdurch. Our meeting on Monday was postponed daily..., and on the last possible date, Saturday, Dieter watched (via VHS) my short film »Ein Platz An Der Sonne«, with the song »Seele Brennt« (Neubauten).

A trapped butterfly in a glass, fluttering in the backlight of the sun.

It was quiet in the room when Dieter Meier spoke, »I like the film, I won't give you a penny, but do whatever else you want.«  After 5 seconds of consideration, I replied, »I want to shoot with you in Marrakesh, on the Ganges and Himalayas.« So it happened.

At the Ganges, Dieter filled a coffee pot with the holy water, and in an old white cab (Ambassador), we went to the Himalayas, (my profane idea: to undo time). It was a wonderful world ride, except for 2 nightly robberies by local gangs, where $100 each possibly saved our lives.

Two years later: a film about butoh dancer Kazuo Ohno, again with YELLO music, you could float away with him and the music, as if into nothingness.

Over many years I met Dieter Meier again and again by chance, and so he became a guest in almost every one of my films with his special ideas, about film art, art, pop, heavy rock, jazz, flamenco....

A kind of 'long-term observation' developed, unplanned, and from the materials this film was made. Again by chance, and unplanned, a shooting at the Schauspielhaus Zurich resulted, where Dieter Meier was invited to a dialogue by Stefan Zweifel (James Joyce expert), who asked how Meier »manages to pursue meaning in meaninglessness for many years«. This theme is a common thread in the film, almost like a spider web.

No wonder Dieter Meier was inspired by Robert Walser and also by Jean Tinguely, to whom he dedicated a song, »Schüffele, Schüffele,« (in the film with scenes in Basel).

An essayistic experimental documentary, a musical collage, in an associative kaleidoscope, almost like a Merzbau by Schwitters, who also celebrated the illogical and the nonsensical...

Dieter Meier, from Zurich to the Ganges..., a very energetic person..., active in many different worlds. A poet, player, performer, conceptual artist, writer, filmmaker, musician to BioFarmer and entrepreneur,.... a driven man, convictions and doubts, always open to chance..., an untamed giver, ... »trying to give meaning to the meaningless«.

I just noticed that there are always great songs on the 1980 first LP »Solid Pleasure« (like Assistant`s Cry, Bostich), as well as over 35 years until today on »Toy«, (like Limbo, Dark Side, 30.000 Days). Creates together with Boris Blank, the wizard of music and pioneer of electropop, perfect also for cinema, »sound pictures«, sometimes grandiose overpower drama, punky, heayyrocky, and often floating away, ...,

» ...this is an odyssey through sound and space...«....

Some key points: Coincidences, lotto, poker, conceptual art, nothingness, situationist, attitude, Robert Walser, golf, Godot, concert scenes of »Yello«, and »Out Of Chaos«, with »Wolf Wolf«, game, 16mm, videos, Tinguely, plasticine figures, photos, mountain wall, duende, »Manhattan-Babylon«, jazz, flamenco, butoh dance, stamps, child, fist, innocence, same blink, identities, parents, grandparents, courage, Marrakech, galleries, restaurant, wine, longing, coffee pot, Ganges, crown hall, Himalayas. ..   

//Filmed over 30 years, in Zurich, Berlin, Hamburg, Basel, NewYork, L.A, Marrakech, Varanasi, Himalaya...// sponsored by FFHSH