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From the very beginning of his career Peter
Mettler has created films deemed impossible to make, yet readily
appreciated once they exist. Eluding categorization by melding
intuitive processes with drama, essay, experiment or documentation,
his films hold a unique and influential position in creative expression
not only in cinema but also in new art forms where filmmaking
and other disciplines merge.
Mettler is involved in a wide range of engagements in music, photography
and dance. More recently he has been experimenting with live sound
and image mixing performances with a diversity of musical artists
in locales ranging from radio theatres and dance clubs to wilderness.
An interview with Mettler expanding on these activities is included
in the 2005 publication The
VJ Book by Paul Spinrad.
Based both in Switzerland and Canada, Mettler is a strong supporter
of independent creativity, collaborating with numerous filmmakers,
artists and musicians such as Werner Penzel, Michael Ondaatje,
Atom Egoyan, Peter Weber, Fred Frith, Jim O'Rourke, Alexandra
Rockingham Gill, Robert Lepage, Andreas Züst, Bruce McDonald,
Patricia Rozema, Edward Burtynsky, Jennifer Baichwal and others.
He is active in the development of artist’s community networks
which foster and share the growth of innovative creative forms
and new means of production and distribution, allowing the independent
artist to reach his or her particular audience while lightening
the financial and ideological pressures of the commercial market.
A book on his work entitled Making
the Invisible Visible was published in 1995 and
another entitled Of This Place and
Elsewhere, The Films and Photography of Peter
Mettler was published in 2006 as a retrospective film and photography
edition by The Toronto International Film Festival.
Mettler’s films have garnered many prizes and been the focus
of several retrospectives internationally - meditations on our
world, rooted in personal experience, his works reflect the visions
and wonder of their characters and audiences alike.
(´82) and (´85) experimental investigations into the
movements of the subconscious. The first, a structured feature,
the second an intuitive diary.
(´89) feature
drama following the search for identity in a media driven world.
(´92) feature
drama, an adaptation of the play by Robert Lepage & Co.
The movement of the earths tectonic plates is used to illustrate
interconnecting stories on a human scale.
(94) feature documentary,
takes a film crew to the Sub Artic to capture the wonder of the
Northern Lights on celluloid.
(´96) 30 min. diary/performance,
is a lyrical tribute to the creative forces found
on the island of Bali.
(02) documentary,
A 3 hour journey across cultures, people
and time, an exploration of the notions of transcendence and belief.
www.gambling-gods-and-lsd.ch
Werner Penzel, Michael Ondaatje, Atom Egoyan, Peter Weber, Fred
Frith, Jim O'Rourke, Alexandra Rockingham Gill, Jane Siberry,
Robert Lepage, Andreas Züst, Bruce McDonald, Patricia Rozema,
Jennifer Baichwal.
Toronto International Film Festival – retrospective
Short film production about Albert Hofmann
Med length film production about OM festival Toronto
Collaboration and Sound Design for film by Jennifer Baichwal about
Edward Burtynsky
Collaboration with Marie-Josee Chartier on Dance & Media project
Focal workshop – Zurich
Zurich and Basel – retrospectives
Various live performances
‘Gambling, Gods and LSD’ Visions du Reèl, Nyon:
Grand Prix & Prix du Publique
Vancouver Int’l Festival: NFB Best Feature Documentary
Montreal Cinema Nouveau: NFB Best Documentary
Duisburger Filmwoche: 3SAT Prize for Best Documentary
Toronto Int’l Festival: Top Twenty Canadian Films &
FIPRESCI Documentary runner-up
Academy of Canadian Cinema: Genie Award: Best Documentary
Swiss Ministry of Culture: Award for Excellence in the Arts
Lincoln Center/Film Comment: One of the Year’s Best Films
‘Balifilm’ Sonic Boom: Live performance with Evergreen
Club Gamelan
Duisburger Filmwoche: Best Short Film
Visions du Reel: Opening Night Presentation‘Picture of Light’
Hot Docs Toronto: Best Film, Best Cinematography, & Best Writing
Locarno International Film Festival, Switzerland: La Sarraz Prize
Swiss Ministry of Culture: Award for Excellence in the Arts
Figueira da Foz International Festival: Grand Prize (Images &
Documents)
MCTV Award: Best Ontario Film
Yamagata International Documentary Festival: Award for Excellence
Tectonic Plates’ Figuera da Foz: Most Innovative Film of
the Festival
Mannheim Film Festival: Catholic Jury Award
Colombus, Ohio: Grand Prize & Award for Excellence
‘Scissere’ Norman Maclaren Award; Best Student Film
Toronto International Film Festival September 2006
Retrospective at the FilmStudio in Rome May 2004
Retrospective Jeu de Paume, Paris, 2003
Director in Focus, Buenos Aries, 2003
Retrospective ARSENAL, Berlin 1999.
Retrospective tour in Holland, by MECANO, 1998
Retrospective and Photo exhibition at CINEMATEQUE ONTARIO 1996
- Toronto.
Retrospective at VIPER Festival 1995 - Lucerne, Switzerland
Galerie Sala 1, Rome, Photo Exhibition/installation “Orientation”–
2005
S.A.W. Gallery Ottawa solo show of video image compositions "Teledivinity",
2004
Installation Solothurn Galerie S2, 2002
Installation Schlesinger Stiftung, Appenzell Switzerland
Exhibition of B&W photographic prints, "I Died Shortly
Thereafter". Solo show,
Foto Forum - St.Gallen, and Galerie Neugebauer - Basel, Switzerland
1995
Qtopia Uster 2005 (with percussionist Lucas Niggli)
Rohstofflager Zurich 2005 (with DJ Sven Vath)
RAI3 Rome live national broadcast 2005 (with Fred Frith)
CPH DOX Copenhagen 2004 (with Transmediale)
Nyon Visions du Reél Closing Night 2003 (with Martin Schuetz)
Schauspeilhaus Zurich: The Box 2003 (with Martin Schuetz)
Walcheturm Galerie Zurich 2003 (with Fred Frith)
Buenos Aires Film Festival 2003 (with Prinzessin in Not)
Burning Man Nevada, 2003 (various DJ’s)
Om Festival 2003, 2004,2005 (with Telefunk)
Expo Swtitzerland 2002 (with Fred Frith)
Member of improvisational music trio, ESP, Switzerland, 1993 -
98
Jump Cut 2006, Catherine Russell: “ Gambling Gods and LSD
Cinephilia and the Travel Film”
Take One Special Edition 2005, Geoff Pevere: “Peter Mettler:
The Pursuit of Wonder”
Point of View 2002, Jack Blum: "The Quest for Transcendence
, Gambling Gods and LSD"
Cinemascope , 2002, Jason McBride: "Betting On Transcendence"
( GGLSD)
Take One , 2002, Stephan Lam : "In Search of Wonder"
Peter Mettler's Gambling Gods and LSD
OffScreen 2002, Daniel Stefick: " Mettlerism"
Take One , 1995, Tom McSorely: “Paradox and Wonder: the
Cinema of Peter Mettler
Take One , 1994, Peter Harcourt : " In Search of Wonder "
Peter Mettler's Picture of Light
A book on Mettler’s work entitled ‘Making the Invisible
Visible´ was published in 1995.
Manufactured Landscapes with Jennifer Baichwal
‘Streetcar’ with Peter Chin by Nick de Pencier
‘Krapps Last Tape’ with John Hurt by Atom Egoyan.
‘The Ring’ by Angus Reid
‘Leda and the Swan’ by Alexandra Rockingham Gill
"The Life is the Red Wagon’ by Jane Siberry
‘Family Viewing’ by Atom Egoyan.
‘Artist on Fire’ with Joyce Weiland by Kay Armatage
‘Walking after Midnight’ by Jonothan Kay
‘A Trip Around Lake Ontario’ with David MacFadden
by Colin Brunton
‘Passion A Letter in 16mm’ by Patricia Rozema
‘Divine Solitude’ with Nana Gleason by Jean-Marc Lariviere.
‘Next of Kin’ by Atom Egoyan
‘Knock Knock’ by Bruce McDonald
‘David Roche Talks To You About Love’ by Jeremy PodeswaEducation:
1984-85 New School of Drama: Intensive Acting Program
1977-82 Ryerson Polytechnical Institute: Film and Photography,
Bachelor of Fine Arts program
1977 Canadian Junior College, Switzerland: Honours Diploma, Gr.
13
1972-76 Upper Canada College: High School Education
Peter Mettler
Grimthorpe film
P.O. Box 67665
College Spadina Postal Outlet
Toronto, ON.
M5T-3M1
grimfilm@ca.inter.net
For more info on the film Gambling, Gods and LSD: www.gambling-gods-and-lsd.ch
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