Ries Straver/Adam Lieber (NL/SA)

Mute Dog
Loffa
production Xing/Netmage 11

Are you one of the millions who cannot and might never be able to click your fingers with your non-dominant hand?
Have you ever been forced to have a sex change to cover up an unwanted pregnancy?
Have you ever strained your back, throwing your dog in the air, laughing hard, and enjoying life for the first time since your wifeʼs misogyny, only to catch the window cleaner in the face?
How many times have you ever sat on an enemyʼs knee and fed them a carrot with a hammer only to realize that that enemy was inside you all along, and now youʼre choking on your own carrot?
Sometimes life deals you a dirty nappy. Do you bite the head off and swallow it? Or do you fight to make a change for the better? This is the story of one man who did just that.
Too small for the role of the Macadamia, not curly enough to be a Cashew, the Almond.

In loving memory of Gianni Trombetta Mandorla
I felt like a dog that cannot bark.
(Gareth Broadbent)

Ries Straver is a dutch video maker and director based in Italy. His work ranges from documenting the experiential momentum to scripted and concept based narrative. He has written, produced and directed dozens of independent and commissioned films, and screened internationally to high critical acclaim for his unique blend of cultural commentary and nuanced humour. His short mockumentary, Crocodiles in Venice screened fuori-concorso during the Biennale of Cinema in Venice. Ries’ self-portrait video, F*ck Television opened the satiric TV program Blob on Rai Tre national Italian TV. His single-channel video, Empedocles permanently screens in Amsterdam as part of the PARK4DTV Moving Images in Public Spaces collection. He participated with group exhibitions in the San Francsico MoMA, Centre Pompidou Paris, the DDD Gallery Osaka, Italian Cultural Institute London etc. His visual language can be described as an eclectic mix of short-circuited popular imagery, with an ambiguous temptation to reference the characteristics of documentary and home video making, featuring a strong emphasis on sound. Currently, Ries Straver is the Head of the Video Department at Fabrica, Benetton’s Communication Research Center, where he works on multi-platform narration concepts and leads a team of international filmmakers and video artists. At Netmage 11 he premieres his short film, Loffa which is an integral part of this year’s coordinated image of the festival (realized with Crazy Horse crew).

Adam Lieber is the alter ego of Adam Lieber. An artist, musician, sound designer and video maker currently living in London. Born in South Africa he originally studied sculpture at the Michaelis School of Fine Art. After graduating he remained in Cape Town and moved into exhibiting, organizing music, cultural and art events, co-ran a gallery and he began performing, dj’ing, making music & films. This lead to taking up a residency at Fabrica in Italy where he focused on producing sound design and music, film, live performances and installations.
He completed an MA at the Royal College of Art in 2005. His films have been screened at various festivals including the London International Film Festival and won awards including the Lux award for best experimental film at LSFF at the ICA.
His works are informed by humour and by the auditory and their presence in our ever shrinking universe. Adam has just started piano lessons and enjoys them a lot.