Memoria

Mattia Schwartländer

My name is Mattia Schwartländer, I am 21 years old, and I just finished studying film production in Hannover. Since my childhood, I have been fascinated by bringing stories to life and expressing themes that are close to my heart through film.
Since I started studying, I have gained a variety of experiences. I have worked on several sets as a lighting technician and camera assistant and took on the role of DoP for two student projects. However, I feel most comfortable in the field of directing, where I have also contributed as an assistant director on several projects, including the feature Film „Jes“, the short film „Punk’d,“ the spec commercial „Herzschlag,“ and the short feature film „Lakeside Whispers.“ These projects provided me with valuable opportunities for growth and experience. I was also involved in the pre-production and script development of many projects.
So far, I have written, directed, and produced three short films. My first short film, due to the assignment, was a historical piece set in the Film Noir era. Despite these constraints, I was able to incorporate my own narrative and directorial style. For my second short film, I had more creative freedom and was able to explore themes that resonate with me, presenting them in the form of a drama-horror chamber play. My third short film is a hybrid film that combines analog and digital techniques. The film delves into themes of friendship, loss of connection, and the passage of time. It is a nostalgic drama-horror short, made unique by the use of Super 8 film.

Director Statement

My third short film, Memoria, is a heartfelt tale about friendship and the passage of time. Who hasn’t experienced this: someone who was once one of your closest friends, someone you couldn’t imagine life without, slowly becoming a distant memory? Without even realizing it, the busyness of life causes days to turn into years, and suddenly, you find you haven’t spoken to them in what feels like forever.
This experience and feeling is what I wanted to portray in my short film Memoria. The mix of Super 8 and digital film creates a nostalgic and mysterious atmosphere, which was exactly the mood I aimed to achieve. I also included many personal emotions in the film. For instance, it was a very special moment for me to shoot in the forest where I used to play and film on my own as a child with an old childhood friend.
I believe that sometimes the hurdle to reach out to an old friend feels bigger than it actually is. Sometimes life becomes overwhelming, and in all the stress, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters, but we should always keep our closest people as close as possible, because you never know when it might be the last time you speak to them.