This not-quite-documentary takes place far away and out of sight, on the margins and off the grid of American society. It tells the stories of April, Dave, Cindy, Rick and a man who calls himself ‘the Godfather.’ From a couple scraping by in the depths of the flood channels located beneath Sin City, to a man living in a reclaimed military bunker in the middle of the dusty California desert, and beyond even the stratosphere, to a place where Mars and Earth have become one and the same place, this motley crew of individuals have been flung into periling circumstances on this rollercoaster ride called life. Through the hustle, pain, and laughter, we are whisked away to an unfamiliar world whose inhabitants are revealed to be souls not unlike our very own.
Nicolas Steiner - Director
Nicolas Steiner was born in 1984 in Switzerland and grew up in a small village in Valais, the Southern Mountain part of Switzerland. During his time at high school he worked as a gravedigger, played drums in various bands and did his military service as an army percussionist. In 2005/06 he attended the European Film College in Denmark before studying Ethnology and Film Studies for a year at the University of Zurich. As of 2007 he learnt a director‘s handicraft at the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg in Ludwigsburg. His successful short, “It’s me. Helmut” was shown at over 240 festivals in all five continents and received 42 prizes and honorary mentions, including a nomination for the 2010 German Short Film Prize. “It’s me. Hel- mut” was screened at museum and gallery exhibitions of his photography. In 2010 he received a Fulbright scholarship to San Francisco Art Institute, where he dedicated most of his time to analogue photography and developing board games. He spent 2014 as Valais Canton’s Artist in Residence in Brooklyn, NYC. “Abo- ve and Below” is his Film Academy graduation piece and also his feature-length directorial debut.
Kaya Inan - Editor
Kaya Inan was born 1983 as a turkish origin in Muri, Switzerland. Asa young 19-year old actor in the come- dy ACHTUNG, FERTIG CHARLIE he discovered his love for film. Directly after the matriculation in 2005 he made his first experiences as editor-assistant and decided 2006 to study at the well known Filmacademy Baden-Württemberg. Since his graduation 2011 with the film TRANSPAPA, he works as a freelance editor for docs and fictions.
Markus Nestroy - Director of Photography
Born 1979 in Graz, Austria, 1997 matriculation at the Lichtenfels Gymnasium Graz, 1997-2001 studies Psychology and Media at the Karl-Franzens-Universität. 1999-2000 studies Photography at the Academy for Angewandte Fotografie, Graz. 2000-2001 studies Contemporary Dance, Graz. 2001-2005 Acting at the Anton Bruckner Universität Linz (Bachlor od Arts), 2006-2012 studies Image Composition und Cinemato- graphy at the Filmacademy Baden-Württemberg (Bachlor of Arts).
Paradox Paradise - Composers
The Paradox Paradise studio collective consists of Berlin based musicians John Gürtler, Jan Miserre and Lars Voges. They belong to a new generation of composers who easily exceed traditional boundaries bet- ween pop, classical, jazz and electronic music. They compose songs and scores, always with the intention to create authentic, individual film music with live instruments and exceptional performers.
In 2013 they were nominated for best original score for their work on the documentary „Meanwhile in Mamelodi“ at the International Film Music Festival Aubagne, France.
In 2014 John received the German Film Music Prize, category „best song in a film“ for the Weill/Waits inspired „What Love is“ while Jan received the Gema young composer’s award.