"Drubär und Drunnär" would probably be the Valais-German equivalent to "Above and Below". And if a Valais man uses the expression, it either means that harvest grapes haven't attained the right degree on the Oechsle scale, or that chaotic times are ahead. This can be seen externally, or lay hidden within. I considered this an interesting concept from which to commence my graduation film.
In "Above and Below" I went out in search of protagonists in unknown surroundings and circumstances – hideouts and refuges. It was about what lies above and what hides below; about light and darkness. It’s an attempt at a review and preview of life past, present and future, and how people adapt moving forward. From a pre-colonized universe, to a destroyed military bunker, then finally stranded in the catacombs underneath a glittering and glamorously constructed adult playground, I had the privilege of working with an exceptional team in documenting the lives of April, David, Rick & Cindy, Lalo "the Godfather".
The concept “from Mars, to Earth, and beneath its crust” was very quick to emerge during my research. In search of possible protagonists, I focused on three archetypes, which I‘d already explored for an analogous photo-series during my studies in California: Cowboys, Ghosts and Aliens – not in the literal sense, but from an ideology standpoint. To be more specific, the term Cowboy represents an American concept of self and carries a sense of history, highlighting the past and where we came from. Alien represents the unknown, the future, and what’s ahead. In between, we have Ghosts - a metaphor for a certain lack of orientation found in a vast and fascinating country with an increasingly polarised society. The interplay between these archetypes created a fruitful tension for the film.
The lifestyles and stories of these individuals profoundly fascinated me. The conversations in their living rooms astounded me. Their daily fight for survival impelled me to give them a voice and face. I could identify with their quests and AWOL tendencies. I understood their efforts to rule over a past that conceivably drove them into their current situations. I was curious about the depth of their knowledge and experiences. At all levels this film was the right graduation film for me because I could see a great challenge and a process of maturing in it.
My positive memories while shooting the film helped fuel me during tough periods in postproduction. The emotions were always there. If you've been shooting a low-budget film for almost two-and-a-half months without interruption, with outside temperatures dropping from scalding heat to blizzard-freezing within a few days, all during the holiday season, then you really need very good friends and passionate, creative film craftsmen around you to see it all through. The privilege of standing alongside my best friends on an abandoned goldmine, laden like Sherpas, completely exhausted yet enchanted by the vast vistas of the Californian desert, invigorated us and bound us closer together. The experiences in the pitch-black world underground sharpened our senses. The feeling of never knowing what or who might approach, carried with us as we slept at night. I still get excited when thinking about every shoot, at every location, and every protagonist. A lasting school for life.
Although I grew up and am a part of the iPhone and streaming generation, I see the strength of this project relying on my faith in good old cinema-going. This film is meant for a big screen. I attempted to make neither a didactic end-times documentary-thriller nor a socially critical study of homelessness in the USA. It wasn't my aim. Despite all concurrent tragedy, I held tight to the life-affirming, forward impetus of the human race. I availed myself of all the artistic freedom of a graduation film, to really go to town and even risk failure. I attempted to improve my director's DNA.
Fortunately, at the end of a long process, it is joy and anticipation that are most prominent. Run-ins, tears, endless late shifts and some hard decisions are part and parcel and reflected in the rollercoaster that always found its place in the film. We discovered the borders, then often crossed them. I'm grateful to everyone who worked on this project and to everyone that wants to show the film and communicate it to others. We remain adventurers, and this film should be one, too. A tête-à-tête from above to below that looks ahead.
Nicolas Steiner, January 2015
