NEWS
06.June 2025
Online Release ”Déjà Nu” on the Plattform “Directors Notes”
“A multifaceted, unique and beautiful curation of both humanism and naturism, Déjà Nu is a genre-bending audiovisual poem undertaken with the express desire of seeking out collaborations. Describing the project as something to “become shared rather than imposed”, Hellat has harnessed his past experiences of artistic creation in order to craft a combination of documentary, poem, artistry and everything in-between...
Watch the interview and the film here: https://directorsnotes.com/2025/06/05/rolf-hellat-deja-nu/
28.September 2024
”Best Short Film”Déjà Nu wins “Zürcher Filmpreis”
Jury Statement: “An experimental short film that offers what makes a felicitous short film: nothing is a must - everything is a can. It surprises, confuses, baffles and hypnotizes with a multi-faceted visual language and triggers a kaleidoscope of emotions, while the unconventional approach to the production is also convincing, sets standards and deserves attention. A refreshing and fantastically realized short film that unanimously impressed the jury.”
https://filmstiftung.ch/zuercher-filmpreis-2024/
27.September 2024
Steintränen-Trinker- Schnecke
This is a picture of the extremely rare “Steintränentrinker-Schnecke” (in english: stone teardrop drinker snail), which can only be found in the Sihlfeld cemetery in Zurich. If you find this snail and get a drop of its slime on your eyes, you will go blind and at the same time certain stones will come to life for you.
14.September 2024
”Best Video Art”Déjà Nu wins at Festival de Cine Arte Venezuela
Jury Statement: “Deja nu is a daring and poetic proposal of great complexity. It is a transgressive piece in its construction, in its conjunction of luminous and dark aesthetic elements. Through an excellent handling of the photographic image and camera movements, it awakens emotional connections and leaves to the free construction of our interpretation, according to our cultural realities, an unconventional image, a soundtrack that accompanies the poetic discourse, an acting and artistic direction through performance. It has elements of video dance and a certain documentary value, with its polycultural load. It is definitely on the border and is an exceptional case of contemporary experimental cinema."
25.März 2024
”Democracy in everyday life”Dirt Devil 550XS on Arte TV
Arte has made a report about our movie "Dirt Devil 550 XS".
01.March 2023
”Déjà Nu” at Festivals
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Screening at Tampere Film Festival, Finnland, March 2024
Screening at Regards, Saguenay Film Festival, Canada, March 2024
Screening at the Ann Arbor Film Festival, USA, March 2024
02.November 2123
”*” in 100 years
01.November 2023
”Déjà Nu” in Berlin, Bogota and Nairobi
Screening at the Short Film Festival Interfilm, in Berlin, Germany, 16./17.Nov
Screening at the Human Rights Film Festival, Under Our Skin, in Nairobi Kenya, 09-16.Nov
Screening at the Bogotà Short Film Festival, BogoShorts in Colombia, 05-12.Dec
28.Oktober 2023
”Déjà Nu” & “Mitglied” Short Films im Kino Xenix
Premiere with Crew and Friends in Switzerland
Come and see our new short films im Kino Xenix in Zurich, 28.Oktober 2023, 14h.
”Déja Nu”, fiction experimental, 15min
“Mitglied”, fiction experimental, 46min
05. - 09.September 2023
”Oszilot” performance Ars Electronica
We will show our new Oszilot sound experiments at Ars Electronica in Linz. Come and listen to one of our four concert between 05. - 09.September in Austria.
The Jury statement at Prix Ars Electronica for the honorable Mention of Oszilot: In The Queer Art of Failure(2011), Jack Halberstam praises the “wondrous anarchy of childhood” as offering a stark contrast to structured and disciplined formats of creativity or knowledge. There is something truly reminiscent and nostalgic within the playful innocence of OSZILOT and that is its success. Combining analogue objects and digitizing their sound through gyro sensors, this sonic interpretation is at once extremely satisfying to the ear whilst reanimating our imaginations by giving new meaning to objects which, as “adults,” we might erroneously write off as mundane. We love that the piece invites its audience to come and interact with an orchestra of table chairs, pots, and vases brought to life. Play is always more fun when it’s collective anyway.
01.September 2023
”Déjà Nu” short film at Odense Film Festival
Voices, rhythms, sculptures, existences of nature and civilization intertwine into an audiovisual poem.
This will be the world premiere in Denmark.
04.Juni 2023
”Déjà Nu” Crew Screening in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Thanks to the cast & crew and the lively discussions around our film.
With Laetitia Ky, Sylvia Ouattara, Jean-Luc Yonhite, Moya Kouakou Kan, Olivia Emmanuelle Yvonne, Ahmed Kone, Rolf Hellat and guests.
03.März 2022
”Zürich - Abidjan” on my way with the bycicle
Since 4 months i am traveling southwards, living an experience of extreme loneliness and immense togetherness.
31.Okt 2021
”Dirt Devil 550 XS” wins Audience Award
Thanks to the Vevey Film Festival Audience for the “Best Short Film”-Award for our Film Dirt Devil 550 XS!
01.Okt 2021
”Kurzsicht” at Kurzfilmnacht
Our Shortfilm “Kurzsicht” will be screened at the Kurzfilmnacht Switzerland.
Friday, 01.Okt, Kino Orient in Baden, 19:00
Saturday, 02.Okt, Kino Center Schloss, Aarau, 19:00
05.Sept 2021
Award for “Dirt Devil 550 XS” Filmkunstfest MV
“Dirt Devil 550 XS” wins “Best Short Film” at the Filmkunstfest in Schwerin.
Jurybegründung:
„Gemeinschaftlich getroffene Entscheidungen fordern nicht nur die Welt heraus, wenn sie sich gerade in einer Pandemie befindet, oder ein Land kurz vor der Bundestagswahl, sondern auch eine kleine Schweizer Wohngemeinschaft, die sich am Küchentisch versammelt hat um über den Kauf eines neuen Staubsaugers abzustimmen. Der Dirt Devil 550 XS ist dabei das titelgebende Profi-Gerät, dass offensichtlich die einzig richtige Wahl darstellt, gäbe es da nicht noch das Modell Dyson 4, mit weniger Saugkraft aber zu einem kleineren Preis. Als dann noch mangelnde Körperhygiene und Fingernägel in der Badewanne ins Spiel kommen, wird die Sache erst richtig kompliziert. Dem Regisseur und Autor Rolf Hellat ist es in seinem Kurzfilm gelungen, mit Humor und äußerster Präzision einen unaufgeregten Blick auf unsere Wohlstandsgesellschaft zu werfen. Seine schlichte Metapher benötigt dabei keinen didaktischen Verweis auf größere Zusammenhänge, der Film vertraut seinem Publikum und überlässt die Deutung uns. Trotz aller Ironie und Kauzigkeit nimmt der Film seine Figuren auf liebevolle Art immer ernst und lädt uns ohne die Erhebung des vorwurfsvollen Zeigefingers dazu ein, in Anbetracht schwieriger Entscheidungen als Menschen näher zusammen zu rücken.“
Danke Filmkunstfest Schwerin.
04.Sept 2021
“OSZILOT”at HAUS DER ELEKTRONISCHEN KÜNSTE
We will give a OSZILOT concert at the OSLO NIGHT in Basel.
04.Sept 2021, Freilager-Platz 9, 4142 Münchenstein, in the evening and in the night.
03.Sept 2021
“OSZILOT” at THEATERSPEKTAKEL
We will give a OSZILOT concert at the Theaterspektakel-Festival in Zurich.
Saturday, 03.Sept 2021, 22:00, Zentralbühne Landiwiese, Zürich.
Free entry.
28.August 2021
“OSZILOT” at KUNSTHAUS ZÜRICH
As part of “Earth Beats”, a series of events by the Kunsthaus Zurich that takes up the debate about climate change, we are showing OSZILOT as a sound contribution.
For more specific contributions to climate change, we recommend the following article from the Tagi-Magi: "A Guide to Save the World"
Saturday, 28.August 2021, 20:00, Kunsthaus Chipperfield-Bau, Garten der Kunst.
Tickets here.
17.June 2021
“DIRT DEVIL 550 XS”at Palm Springs ShortFest
The film is selected for Best Live-Action Short.
12.June 2021
“OSZILOT”concert at Schlachthof Zürich by Guerilla Classics
We are pleased to be performing OSZILOT in a very special place in Zurich: in the imposing hall of the largest slaughterhouse in Switzerland. After half a year of experimenting and composing behind closed doors, #guerillaclassics lured us out of our chambers again. Their specialty is to present musical performances in unconventional locations.
OSZILOT is an audiovisual interplay of lost objects, vibrations, bodies, time and gravity.
www.oszilot.com
12.June, 20:30 - 21:30, Herdernstrasse 59.
Get your ticket here.
(Limited visitors)
22.Jan 2021
“DIRT DEVIL 550 XS”at SOLOTHURNER FILMTAGE
The festival is happening online only. “Dirt Devil 550 XS” will be available as online stream during 22-25.Jan 2021 here.
08.December 2020
“EPILOG”at LEUVEN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The film “Epilog” is selected for the Belgium Film Festival, which will be held online during 05-12.December 2020. You can get online access here.
“ConcertPerformance OSZILOT
Luc und Rolf will give a concert, 4.December 2020, 20:00, Herdernstrasse 56, Zurich - during the “Best-Of-Visarte at ArtCon”.
“EPILOG”at LEEDS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The film “Epilog” is shown in the “International Louis Le Prince Competition”, which will be held online only during 03-19.November 2020.
https://“THE GAME”wins a price for best Editing
The Sulmona International Film Festival 2020 in Italy honours the Editing of “THE GAME”:
“For the ability to use the editing as a second (and perhaps first) direction, developing multiple dramaturgical points of view and inspiring the viewer through a precise design with great narrative balance.”
“THE GAME” also won the price for “Best Short Documentary”.
“DIRT DEVIL 550 XS”International Premiere at CURTA CINEMA in RIO DE JANEIRO
The film “Dirt Devil 550 XS” participates in the brazilian film festival, which will be held online during 20-27.November 2020.
“THE GAME”World Premiere at BIENNALE in VENICE
Director: Roman Hodel
Editor: Rolf Hellat
Producer: Ensemble Film, Franziska Sonder
A whistle. The crowd roars. Players protest. In the middle of it, the referee. He decides - and directs the energy of an entire stadium.
PREMIEREConcert OSZILOT
06.Nov 2020Expanded Cinema, Casino Theater, Winterthur, www.kurzfilmtage.ch
02.August 2020Les Digitales, Parc de Montbenon, Lausanne, www.lesdigitales.ch
24./25.Juli 2020
Hyperlokal, Grubenstrasse 39, Zurich, 21:00, www.hyperlokal.chA concert in which objects create a new form of oscillatory music.
Luc Gut and Rolf Hellat play sculpture instruments that use sensors to generate sound through their own oscillation. An archaic physical world is linked to digital sound synthesis.
OSZILOT invites you to reflect on the meaning of time, gravity and music.
www.oszilot.com
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Luc Gut and Rolf Hellat play sculpture instruments that use sensors to generate sound through their own oscillation. An archaic physical world is linked to digital sound synthesis.
OSZILOT invites you to reflect on the meaning of time, gravity and music.
www.oszilot.com
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PREMIEREShort Film EPILOG
3 Short FilmsKir Royal, Langstrasse 62, Zurich
17:00 Apéro
17:30 Short Films
18:15 Post-Apéro
Program:
– „EPILOG“, fiction, 10 min, Director: Rolf Hellat
Von Auf- und Abgängen in einem überreifen Sonnenblumenfeld.
– „RAKIJADA“, documentary, 19 min, Director: Nikolas Ilic
Durch die Schnappsolympiade in die serbische Seele. Ein beschwingter Film aus einem Dorf, das Widerstand leistet.
– „22:47 BUS LINIE 34“, fiction, 10 min, Director: Michael Karrer
Nacht in einem Bus in dem die Stimmung kippt.
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17:00 Apéro
17:30 Short Films
18:15 Post-Apéro
Program:
– „EPILOG“, fiction, 10 min, Director: Rolf Hellat
Von Auf- und Abgängen in einem überreifen Sonnenblumenfeld.
– „RAKIJADA“, documentary, 19 min, Director: Nikolas Ilic
Durch die Schnappsolympiade in die serbische Seele. Ein beschwingter Film aus einem Dorf, das Widerstand leistet.
– „22:47 BUS LINIE 34“, fiction, 10 min, Director: Michael Karrer
Nacht in einem Bus in dem die Stimmung kippt.
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