ESTER A Purim Play in Berlin by Ulrike Ottinger Germany 2002 DVCam/DigiBeta    black/white and color   31:30 minutes   German/English Subtitle Production: Jewish Culturdays, Berlin in Coproduction with Ulrike Ottinger Filmproduktion, Berlin Premiere: November 12, 2002, Arsenal Berlin ESTER is a Purim play narrated by György Konrád and acted by Jewish emigrants of Middle- and Southern-East-Europe. It's a story of "those days when jews have been granted asylum and about the month, when pain became happiness and grief turned into a day of celebration". A parable about the courage to arrive in a foreign country and a funny masquerade about blessing in disguise. Megilath Esther 1:1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:) 1:2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, 1:3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him: 1:4 When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days... Translation: The American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise Cast /Staff Reader of the Megilla György Konrád Ester Genrietta Liakhorvitskaia King Achaschwerosch Michael Enenstein Haman Viatcheslav Demidov Mordechai Boris Raev Queen Waschti Alla Prymak Memuchan der Weise Isaak Plapler Writer Isaak Kipperstein Master of Ceremonies Davyd Yanovskiy Eunuchs Bella Bernstein Tamara Firsova Ladies-in-waiting Lilija Yanovska Natalia Tuvia Purimguest Clara Chvets Dancer Girls of the ballet directed by Natalia Mokk Screenplay Director Cinematographer Montage Ulrike Ottinger Costumes Gisela Pestalozza Stella My Make-up Cornelia Wentzel Lighting Clemens Seiz Assistants Ulrike Richter Marion Schebesta Johannes Doll Sound Lilly Grote Editor Bettina Blickwede Assistant Director Bettina Blickwede Heidi by Plato Assistant Cinematographer Alexander Gheorghiu Set Trainees Sybille Poser Julya Berger Mixing Dirk Schwibbert, Mainland Media Assistant Producer Sean Runge With special thanks to Rainer Herrn Robert Kohler Katharina Sykora Jüdische Gemeinde zu Berlin Stiftung "Neue Synagoge in Berlin - Centrum Judaicum" Hochschule für Film und Fernsehen (HFF) "Konrad Wolf" Zentralwohlfahrtsstelle der Juden in Germany/Berlin Treffpunkt Hatikva Oranienburger Strasse Tanzgruppe der Zentralwohlfahrststelle unter Leitung by Natalia Mokk Seniorendeutschgruppe der Zentralwohlfahrtsstelle With special thanks to Gesellschaft für ein Jüdisches Museum e.V. © 2002 ulrike ottinger Distribution: Freunde der Deutschen Kinemathek e.V. Potsdamer Str. 2 D-10785 Berlin Germany Ansprechpartner: Karl Winter fon +49-30-269 55 150 fax +49-30-269 55 111 Sales: Available as DVD at Ulrike Ottinger Filmproduction