Kevin Merz

Né en 1978 en Suisse.
Entre 1998 et 1999 il a étudié la photo à l’Institut Italien de Photographie et le cinéma au Los Angeles Film School. Depuis 2005, il travaille comme cinéaste indépendant.
Il est le petit frère de l’acteur Suisse-Nigérian, Jarreth Merz (par son père, un célèbre médecin) qui lui vit à Los Angeles (USA).

Filmography/Filmographie
2001 Akwabaa / (short film/Court métrage)
2001 Felix in Berlin (short film/Court métrage)
2002 Der Konkurs / (short film/Court métrage)
2003 Rekrutenschule Schweiz / (documentary/documentaire)
2003 / Un viaggio a ginevra / (documentary/documentaire)
2004 Sankofa / (short film/Court métrage)
2005 Ghanaba / (documentary/documentaire)
2006 Shipwreck / (short film/Court métrage)
2008 Glorious Exit (documentary/documentaire)
2010 An African Election – codirected by Jarreth Merz (documentary/documentaire)

Born in 1978 in Switzerland.
1998-99 Studies photography at the Italian Institute of Photography and filmmaking at the Los Angeles Film School. Since 2005 works as independent filmmaker.

FILMOGRAPHY AS DIRECTOR

2007
« Glorious Exit », 75′, documentary

2006
« Shipwreck » Director/DOP, Super 35mm, short film
An emotional landscape of a man abandoned in the desert.

2005
« Falling Stars » Director/DOP, HD/Super 16mm, short film
The dream of fame goes beyond death.

2005
« One Minute to Act a Title: Kim Jong II favorite movies » DOP, (artist Mario Garcia Torres), Super 16, video installation, Frieze Art Fair, Maison Rouge, Paris

2005
« 100 % » DOP, (dir. Teresa Paoli) super 16 mm, short film
In a futuristic society people are only allowed to have relationships if their economic profile is 100% compatible. Turin Film Festival, Italy. Winner Eugenea Movie Movement Film Festival, Italy. Winner Corto Imola Film Festival, Italy. Winner Pratometraggi Film Festival, Italy

2005
« The Kiss » DOP, DV/PS Technics, short film
On an afternoon an onlooker usurps a young woman’s blown kiss.
2005

« Ghanaba » Director/DOP, DV, documentary
A portrait of the divine drummer of Ghana. Pan African Film Festival, Los Angeles. Pan African Film Festival, Denver. National Theatre Ghana.

2004
« Sankofa » Director/DOP, DV, short film
A young man comes to terms with his Ghanaian roots. Locarno International Film Festival, Switzerland.

2003
« Un viaggio a Ginevra » Director/DOP, documentary
Two friends make a journey to escape drug addiction. Trieste Film Festival, Italy. San Gio’ Film Festival, Italy.

2003
« Rekrutenschule Schweiz » Director/DOP, DV, documentary
A visual diary of a filmmaker’s experience in the Swiss army.
Locarno international Film Festival, Switzerland.

2002
« Der Konkurs » Director/DOP, DV, short film
Two friends must face the crash of the new economy, the crash of their dreams and shattered families. Poetry Film Festival, Berlin.

2002
« Love » Director/DOP, video installation
A visual journey through Ghana II. GTA Theatre Company, Berlin.
2001 « Felix in Berlin » DOP, (dir. Jarreth Merz), DV, short film
A man travels through the subway system trying to find a plan?

– « Akwabaa » Director/DOP, DV, video installation
A visual journey through Ghana I, Gallery 64, Zurich.

EXPERIENCE
1999/2000 Assistant to Wolfgang Lindroos, DOP TV production, Zurich.
2000/2001 Internship Thoto Film production company, Berlin.
2002/2003 Assistant to Peter Fleischmann, Director/Producer, Babelsberg Studios, Berlin
2003/2004 Activity as independent filmmaker in Ghana
2006 Assistant to Ueli Steiger A.S.C (10’000 B.C) Warner Brothers

EDUCATION AND TRAINING
1997/1999 Italian Institute of Photography, Milan
2004/2005 Los Angeles Film School
2006 Workshop at Gamma & Density, Los Angeles


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Geboren 1978. 1998-99 Istituto Italiano di Fotografia. Seit 2003 freiberuflicher Kameramann und Regisseur.