Banff Film Fest stink-up

[glassgowkiss]

a friend of my just called me up asking if i am going to the BMFF in B-ham. at this moment- i don't think so. i am not going to give my money to someone who is behaving like that. so before everyone rushes to see the films in b-ham or seattle ask yourself a question. do you want to support this organization with your $$$ in the view of these facts?

[Bogen]

You know, I am sure that this film was introduced as exactly what it was. ie an old polish film remastered. I have a program somewhere, maybe that will help.

[mattp]

Quick question: has anybody who is participating in this conversation tried to ask Mr. Bertulis about this? Or anybody connected with the Film Festival?

[glassgowkiss]

yeah, it was introduced like that. the point is how this whole issue was handled:

1. the film was submitted without author's conscent

2. the reward was given to Bertulis, not the director- Surdel (even though he is alive and well) and Bertulis knew it before the festival

3. while Bertulis collected $$$ (I think roughly 4 000 CAN) and gave acceptance speach during the award ceremony nobody even mentioned Surdel.

4. so far Bertulis nor the representatives from Banff Film festival did not issue any public correction, nor apology was given in any public media.

 

Matt- i did write, that there were several attempts to contact both Bertulis and Banf Film Festival by members of Polish climbing community.

Jerzy Surdel wrote 2 letters to BMFF with very limmited response. in the first email representative from BMFF said they were contacting their lawyer. in the second letter there was only one sentece asking for his account number. nothing else.

also so far Alex Bertulis did not say anything else via mail, email or any other public comment.

Edited December 1, 2004 by glassgowkiss

[JayB]

Bob:

 

I'm glad that you and others drew attention to this situation so that the original film-maker gets the credits and the awards that are due to him for this effort.

 

However - I don't think that someone like Alex Bertulius is out to cheat anyone here. He' been around the climbing world long enough to establish his character, and if he was the kind of guy who was into lying, cheating, and stealing I think those elements of his character would have revealed themselves long ago. AFAIK he's widely respected in the community, and has been for a long time, so perhaps everyone following the situation should give the guy the benefit of the doubt until he has a chance to respond.

 

I can't imagine that Mr. Bertulius, being a rational fellow, would intentionally shell out $10,000 of his own cash so that he could win prize money that amounts to less than one-third of that total. It sounds to me like he made an honest - and in hindsight probably somewhat embarassing - mistake that could have been rather easily prevented by contacting the Polish Mountaineering Community.

 

I think in the end both sides will benefit. Alex Bertulius will see his investment pay off in that a movie that he thought highly enough of to spend $10,000 restoring will get the worldwide audience that he obviously though it deserved, and the filmmaker will see a major upsurge in interest in this work, and any others that he may have made - and, in all likelihood - credit, recognition, and prizes from the BMFF . When there's a committee involved, things move slowly, so I think everyone should just chill out for a bit before letting the recriminations fly.

 

On a somewhat related topic, Bob, I've seen you write elsewhere that you think that Polish climbers have historically received much less recognition than they deserve for their ascents (relative to other countries). Is this a true reflection of your feelings, and does this episode bother you in its own right or because its another example of Polish climbers getting the international shaft?

[Dru]

Damn let's say I photocopy Beckey's alpine guide and put in some new photos and sell the result as mine and win a prize for it, who should get the credit me or Beckey?

 

Let's put it this way - if what Bob says is true then reputation or no, what Bertulis has pulled is bullshit. Don't try and sugar coat it Jay.

[glassgowkiss]

Jay- Dru expressed my feelings exactly on this one. I do not think that any surag coating will do untill a formal apology is issued here. My feeling is that both BMFF and Mr. Bertulis dropped the ball and have to face the music now.

There was a bogus story on elephant hunting in Africa in National Geographic. A few issues ago chieff editor issued a public apology for running a bogus story. I can understand people make mistakes. Yet accepting the prize for the film by Mr. Bertulis while knowing Surdel is alive borders on fraud and dihonesty. I do not know what his motivation was, since he decided to keep a complete silence, since the whole issue was raised. I am not judging his whole character here. I am just presenting facts aviable to me at this moment.

As far as the issue of Polish climbers getting a shaft for their recognition - let the past be left alone. It sucked for instance that National Geographic in their Everest 50th anniversary issue didn't even mentioned the first winter ascent done by Polish expedition. There were several episodes (like with N Pillar of Eiger) where more marketing savy western climbers tried to re-write climbing history. We cought up though in the past decade. We still do hard routes, but we also submitt kick ass material to western mags (like a new route in the Kitchatnas). Our ascents get nominated for Piolet D'Or, I think we are doing pretty good job at this moment.

[vraddict]

So with all this stuff coming out recently, what stance is the Mountaineers taking. I'm heading to the film festival tomorrow, but did not know anything about this controversy. So if the Mountaineers have been made aware of this fact will they choose the ethical route and not show the grand prize winner at the film.

[JayB]

"Our ascents get nominated for Piolet D'Or, I think we are doing pretty good job at this moment."

 

Hell - you've got the west face of Gasherbrum IV from 20 years ago. I can think of anything that has bettered that effort since then.

 

Anyhow - I still think Bertulius should be given the B.O.D. until he has a chance to respond. The discrepancy between the cash output (10,000 USD) and the monetary value of the prize (3,000CP) suggests that a misunderstanding of the facts (copies of the film were available for $60) than intentional malice was the root cause of the problem, for me anyway.

[EWolfe]

Unless he was scammed by someone, in which case the lack of research on his part would indicate a hurried and selfish act.

[Jason_Martin]

So with all this stuff coming out recently, what stance is the Mountaineers taking. I'm heading to the film festival tomorrow, but did not know anything about this controversy. So if the Mountaineers have been made aware of this fact will they choose the ethical route and not show the grand prize winner at the film.

 

Mountaineers have nothing to do with which films are shown at a given performance. The agency which brings the film festival really doesn't do much aside from provide the space and do the advertising...

 

Jason

[chelle]

Actually Jason, I think the Seattle Mountaineers do choose which films are shown. At least that has been my impression from the comments made at the beginning and end of the BFF showings I have seen here in Seattle.

 

The guy always states that he selects films that are NOT produced and submited by big companies (e.g., National Geographic) in hopes that films that will not be seen in other venues (like on National Geographic t.v. programs) can be viewed by people here in Seattle.

[Jason_Martin]

Actually Jason, I think the Seattle Mountaineers do choose which films are shown. At least that has been my impression from the comments made at the beginning and end of the BFF showings I have seen here in Seattle.

 

The guy always states that he selects films that are NOT produced and submited by big companies (e.g., National Geographic) in hopes that films that will not be seen in other venues (like on National Geographic t.v. programs) can be viewed by people here in Seattle.

 

I have to admit I have not seen it in Seattle. But in Las Vegas, it's quite clear that the Banff people have selected the films.

 

Jason

[Bogen]

The film was presented during a program called "Retro Reels" Here, word for word is the exerpt from the program given out at the festival:

Odworot (retreat)

(poland, 1967, 21')

Director: Jerzy Surdel

In Person: Alex Bertulis

Disaster and retreat. After and accident idn the mountains, a climber is forced to descend alone. This film captures the experience of an epic solo descent.

 

 

Here is the blurb about the winning film from the Banff Center website. Note that there is no mention of Bertulis, and that the article was "REVISED November 30, 2004"

 

Forgotten Polish film takes Grand Prize at Banff Mountain Film Festival

A film made 36 years ago at a Polish film school has taken the Grand Prize at this year’s Banff Mountain Film Festival. Odwrót (Retreat) recreates an anonymous climber’s epic solo descent in the wake of a mountaineering accident. Produced in 1968 by director Jerzy Surdel at the National College of Theatre and Film in Lódz, Poland, and filmed in black and white in the Tatra Mountains, Odwrót follows the climber’s desperate retreat to find help for his injured partner. “Impeccable directing and editing create a film of poetic ambiguity,” says film festival jury member Liam Lacey. Fellow jury member Mike Libecki describes Odwrót as “timeless and irreproducible.” The Grand Prize award is co-sponsored by Mountain Equipment Co-op and Suunto.

Edited December 1, 2004 by Bogen

[glassgowkiss]

doesn't sound to me like any form of apology at all. and it doesn't say who received the "grand prize" either. also i wonder since the film received "grand prize" why it's not shown during the "best of" screenings?

[Bogen]

I don't know that they've done anything to apologize for, but it is interesting that someone felt a revision was necessary.

[glassgowkiss]

I don't know that they've done anything to apologize for, but it is interesting that someone felt a revision was necessary.

like copy right infringment and giving the prize to Bertulis, while they didn't even bother letting Surdel know his film won?

[Bogen]

I haven't yet seen any evidence that these things occurred. Even if they did, wtf does that have to do with BMFF? You seem to be the only person that knows anything about this. Is it an affront to you that non-polish people saw and approved of Surdel's work? Credit was given where due, there is no talk officially of a copyright problem. Bertulis stated all along that he resurrected the film because he wanted people to see what Surdel had accomplished. Sounds to me like he did him a grand service. What the hell is your problem with this? You claim that the film was readily available, and that Bertulis is pulling some con job. These are pretty nasty accusations to make without evidence.

[Bogen]

I can't really translate this well, but it seems to have some indication of the converstion between Bertulis and the polish community prior to the film festival. Glassgowkiss, can you read it?

 

XXIX Festiwal Filmów Górskich w Banff w Kanadzie, największa i najbardziej prestiżowa tego typu impreza na kontynencie amerykańskim, odbył się w dniach od 30 października do 7 listopada 2004 roku. Zupełnie niespodziewanie przyniósł on główną nagrodę polskiemu filmowi "Odwrót", nakręconemu 37 lat temu w Tatrach przez Jerzego Surdela.

Udział w festiwalu zawdzięczam miejscu zamieszkania: Calgary. Mój kolega alpinista (wspinał się m.in. z Wojtkiem Kurtyką na Dhaulagiri) Alex Bertulis, Litwin z pochodzenia, zamieszkały w Seattle, przysłał mi e-mail z wiadomością, że na festiwalu w Banff będzie prezentował film. Zareagowałam, jak należało, oświadczając, że odbiorę go z lotniska i przerzucę do oddalonego o 130 km Banff. Po drodze wyjaśnił mi, że prezentuje stary polski film "Odwrót" -- "Odworot", jak się wyraził -- w reżyserii Jerzego Surdela. Alex opowiedział mi, że po kopię tego filmu pojechał do Polski tuż przed stanem wojennym, sądząc, że jest to jedyna kopia, którą należy uratować przed zamętem wojennym. Przez ponad 20 lat gnębił go fakt, że film ten leży bezużytecznie. W końcu, gdy przestał pracować zawodowo, zmobilizował się, żeby sformatować taśmę do pokazania widowni amerykańskiej. W zamęcie zdobywania filmu Alex pomylił informację o śmierci Kaliniewicza, sądząc, że nie żyje Jurek Surdel.

Wiadomość o tym, że wspomniany film, to znany mi z dawnych lat "Odwrót", spowodowała, że zmieniłam zdanie co do ważności moich terminów projektowych (jak tu mówią, na łożu śmierci nikt nie żałuje, że nie pracował więcej) i przyjęłam zaproszenie Aleksa z wejściówką na festiwal. Dzięki internetowej łączności z krajem, w przeddzień projekcji zdołaliśmy ustalić, że Jerzy Surdel żyje (zdjęcie), a także zdobyć ważne informacje o filmie i jego bohaterach. Doszły one na czas, choć bezpośrednio przed pokazem. Jeśli chodzi o błąd literowy w tytule, to było już za późno, by go poprawiać. Zgodziliśmy się, że wprowadziłoby to niepotrzebny zamęt, a poza tym Alex przekonał mnie, że "odworot" brzmi jakoś łatwiej dla niepolskiego ucha.

"Odwrót" został wyświetlony w najlepszym czasie festiwalowym -- w sobotę wieczorem, w sekcji Retro Reels. Poprzedził go bardzo interesujący pokaz oryginalnego filmu Johna Noela z wyprawy na Everest w 1924 roku, prezentowany przez jego córkę, Sandrę Noel. Bardzo piękne wprowadzenie do "Odwrotu" wygłosił nie kto inny, jak sławny brytyjski alpinista, Brian Hall. Ja sama ze wzruszeniem oglądałam na wielkim ekranie znane postacie i sceny, a także bliskie sercu krajobrazy z Tatr. Ale nikt z nas (przyjechało kilkoro znajomych z Calgary) nie przypuszczał, że ten stary i skromny pod względem środków film wywrze tak głębokie wrażenie na widzach i członkach Jury.

W niedzielę po południu byliśmy już gotowi do powrotu do Calgary, kiedy Alex dostał telefon z prośbą, żeby jednak koniecznie został na uroczystości wręczania nagród. Spodziewaliśmy się wyróżnienia, jednego z dwudziestu, tym istotnych, że wiążą się z wysyłaniem filmu do różnych ośrodków w Kanadzie i USA, a także w ramach "The Best of the Festival" na szerokim świecie. Ale główna nagroda była całkowitym zaskoczeniem. Kiedy na samym końcu Alex został wezwany po odbiór głównej nagrody Festiwalu, jego nieprzygotowane i spontaniczne przemówienie nie było popisem elokwencji. Bardzo było miło, po imprezie i wywiadach podchodzili do nas ludzie, głównie młodzi, pytając o kasetę i zachwycając się filmem, zdjęciami Zbyszka Kaliniewicza i przejmującą muzyką Koniecznego. Były pytania o dalsze losy bohaterów -- z niestety smutnymi odpowiedziami: tragicznie zginęli i Kaliniewicz, i wspaniały Samek Skierski. Już przy wyjściu natknęliśmy się na Carlosa Buhlera. I znowu słowa zachwytu, zwłaszcza bardzo fachowa analiza roboty operatora ze strony towarzyszącej Carlosowi pani. Recenzje, które ukazały się wczoraj w kanadyjskich gazetach były też bardzo pozytywne, m.in. powtarzano wypowiedź jednego z członków Jury, który nazwał film "dziełem ponadczasowym i niepowtarzalnym".

Reasumując, "Odwrót" został wybrany spośród 300 pozycji całej tej super techniki i wielkiego górskiego wyczynu, ponieważ przemawia do serca, ponieważ każdy z nas mógł się identyfikować z bohaterami, ponieważ pokazuje poezję gór, i to naszych ukochanych Tatr. I chwała Alexowi, że pomimo potknięć, wskrzesił film i przeniósł go -- to zgodna opinia krytyków -- do światowej klasyki.

[Bogen]

Sorry, here's the link. It also seems to contain evidence that Bertulis asked them to stay for the award ceremony, but they declined. http://nyka.home.pl/gaze_gor/pl/200411.htm

[Dru]

It's about consent. Did Surdel know or consent to Bertulis showing his film? You can't pull shit like this and not have the consent of the creator.

[Bogen]

On the contrary, directors seldom own the rights to their work. I'm hoping Bob can translate that article, it seems to say that Alex did contact or try to contact Surdel.

[willstrickland]

Hey Bob, it took me 30 seconds to find Alex's phone number and I don't even have a Seattle phone book. Why don't you just call him and get his take on things since you obviously don't know all the details of the situation?

 

Seems pretty easy to me. I suggest Whitepages.com or yellow.com

[Dru]

On the contrary, directors seldom own the rights to their work. I'm hoping Bob can translate that article, it seems to say that Alex did contact or try to contact Surdel.

 

Are you suggesting that Bertulis owns the rights to the film?

[glassgowkiss]

Bogen and other unbelievers. I don’t know how else to get to your heads. I tried to explain in simplest terms the whole matter. The article (or the link) you provide is writtem by Elzbieta Lipowska, Calgary resident. She is Polish too. She was the one picking Bertulis from the airport and drove him to the Festival.

This is the timeline I managed to establish:

Bertulis was a member of Polish Dhaulagiri Expedition in 1979. There he met Wojtek Kurtyka. Btw- he had to be rescued high on the mountain by other members of that expedition.

Somewhere before December 13, 1981 he flew to Warszawa and obtained a copy of the movie “Odwrot”. He kept the movie, what he believed the last copy of it, for over 20 years. After his retirement he decided to restore the copy, he was in possession of.

Before September of 2004 he submitted the mentioned film to Banff Mountain Film Festival and the movie was accepted. He also believed, that the director and the producer- Jerzy Surdel was dead. He also was claiming that it was unknown and forgotten movie, saved by him from obscurity.

Now this is the most important part of the timeframe and sequence of events.

He flew to Calgary on Thursday November 4, 2004. Elzbieta Lipowska picked him up from the airport. In the meantime she contacted Andrzej Slawinski (another Polish climber in Calgary- Rafal’s Slawinski father). Andrzej Slawinski explained, that Jerzy Surdel was not dead; he was alive, retired and lived part time in Poland and Switzerland. He also made Bertulis aware, how to contact Surdel.

Knowing all these facts Bartulis attended film screening on Saturday November 6, 2004 in the main theater. This film received very good reception, both from the critics.

On Sunday, November 7th, 2004 the representatives of the Festival asked Bertulis to stay for the award ceremony. During the ceremony Bertulis received the “Grand Prize”, the statue and a check for (so I think) 4 000 CAN. During his acceptance speech he did not mentioned any of the facts involving the director.

 

Now some more facts:

#1.“Unknown film” is not so unknown, since it won the main prize in Trento (Italy) in 1969. There were also several screenings of the movie in Germany, England, NYC (dates can be provided and they are public knowledge. This movie was shown on Polish TV several times- I know- I saw it myself.

#2. “The last copy”- copy of this movie is available from Polish Movie Archives in 35mm, 16mm and DVD (address, telephone # and prices can be provided)

#3. Awards- Banff Film Festival was aware of the whole issue within days after the festival. They never contacted Mr. Surdel (even they were provided with his email address). Even more- the director/producer found out from the flood of email messages.

 

Epilogue:

None of the claims from Mr Bertulis turned out to be true. He also accepted the prize at the Festival with complete and full knowledge, that Mr. Surdel is alive.

Mr. Surdel, Mr. Slawinski and Mr. Nyka (long time contributor to many international climbing publications) tried to contact Banff Mountain Film Festival. As the response they received only two things: in the first letter BMFF sates they are in a process of contacting the lawyer. Second email contained only one sentence, asking for account information for Mr. Surdel.

BMFF did not publicly change any statements since the end of the festival. Nor they did not apologize to anyone.

Surdel owns the right to this movie. Bertulis never tried to contact Surdel. End of the story.