VIVA
PARADIS
2011, 17'25", HD, 16:9, color, surround 5.1, BE, French
directed, filmed, edited & produced by Isabelle Tollenaere
sound recording & sound design by Kwinten Van Laethem
with the support of The Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), deAuteurs
VIVA PARADIS captures a moment in a land, Tunisia, in the midst of transformation. From an abandoned luxury hotel and the ruins of Carthage to the traces of the recent revolution. The fighting is over, but what now? From March 10-16, 2011, filmmaker Isabelle Tollenaere recorded the peace following the revolution, by making images of the tourism industry.
In the enormous hotel, the first guests have returned to enjoy this artificial paradise, in search for the sun, as in the Tunisia of yesterday. A group of dancers in military costumes perform their repertoire at night for an almost empty hall. The chic patio, swimming pool, and billiard room are deserted. Outside, the void left after the revolution is also omnipresent. Everything seems to be motionless. Tunisians wander around the ruined estate of the former dictator. On a damaged wall, we can read the words "Thank you Facebook".
VIVA PARADIS portrays the tension between revolution and tourism, change and conservatism, and the ruins of ancient and recent history.
You can watch VIVA PARADIS on DocAlliance
SCREENINGS
2011 KASKcinema, Gent (BE)
2011 CPH:DOX, Kopenhagen (DK)
2011 IDFA (NL)
2012 Les Inattendus, Lyon (FR)
2012 Hors Pistes, Centre Pompidou (FR)
2012 Courtisane, Gent (BE)
2012 Iowa City Documentary Fim Festival (USA) - Honorable Mention
2012 European Media Art Festival, Osnabrück (DE)
2012 Docville, Leuven (BE)
2012 FID Marseille (FR)
2012 New Horizons International Film Festival, Wroclaw (PL)
2012 Patras International Film Festival (GR) – Memorable Award
2012 Belo Horizonte International Film Festival (BR)
2012 EXIS, Seoul (KR) - Avid Award International Competition
2012 DokumentART, Neubrandenburg (DE) en Szczecin (PL)
2012 Actors’ Studio, Brussel (BE)
2013 FIFE, Paris (FR)
2013 MEANWHILE series, Distrital, Mexico City (MX)
2013 Les Inattendus, Lyon (FR)
2014 MEANWHILE series, Distrital, CGAI, Coruna – Galicia (ES)
2015 AS IF IT NEVER HAPPENED, Goldsmiths College, London (UK)
2016 DNA, Shanghai (CH)
2021 Galerie Fotografic, Prague (CZ)
VIVA
PARADIS
2011, 17'25", HD, 16:9, color, surround 5.1, BE, French
directed, filmed, edited & produced by Isabelle Tollenaere
sound recording & sound design by Kwinten Van Laethem
with the support of The Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), deAuteurs
VIVA PARADIS captures a moment in a land, Tunisia, in the midst of transformation. From an abandoned luxury hotel and the ruins of Carthage to the traces of the recent revolution. The fighting is over, but what now? From March 10-16, 2011, filmmaker Isabelle Tollenaere recorded the peace following the revolution, by making images of the tourism industry.
In the enormous hotel, the first guests have returned to enjoy this artificial paradise, in search for the sun, as in the Tunisia of yesterday. A group of dancers in military costumes perform their repertoire at night for an almost empty hall. The chic patio, swimming pool, and billiard room are deserted. Outside, the void left after the revolution is also omnipresent. Everything seems to be motionless. Tunisians wander around the ruined estate of the former dictator. On a damaged wall, we can read the words "Thank you Facebook".
VIVA PARADIS portrays the tension between revolution and tourism, change and conservatism, and the ruins of ancient and recent history.
You can watch VIVA PARADIS on DocAlliance
SCREENINGS
2011 KASKcinema, Gent (BE)
2011 CPH:DOX, Kopenhagen (DK)
2011 IDFA (NL)
2012 Les Inattendus, Lyon (FR)
2012 Hors Pistes, Centre Pompidou (FR)
2012 Courtisane, Gent (BE)
2012 Iowa City Documentary Fim Festival (USA) - Honorable Mention
2012 European Media Art Festival, Osnabrück (DE)
2012 Docville, Leuven (BE)
2012 FID Marseille (FR)
2012 New Horizons International Film Festival, Wroclaw (PL)
2012 Patras International Film Festival (GR) – Memorable Award
2012 Belo Horizonte International Film Festival (BR)
2012 EXIS, Seoul (KR) - Avid Award International Competition
2012 DokumentART, Neubrandenburg (DE) en Szczecin (PL)
2012 Actors’ Studio, Brussel (BE)
2013 FIFE, Paris (FR)
2013 MEANWHILE series, Distrital, Mexico City (MX)
2013 Les Inattendus, Lyon (FR)
2014 MEANWHILE series, Distrital, CGAI, Coruna – Galicia (ES)
2015 AS IF IT NEVER HAPPENED, Goldsmiths College, London (UK)
2016 DNA, Shanghai (CH)
2021 Galerie Fotografic, Prague (CZ)