Up the River with Acid

Synopsis

By an open window, a gentle breeze playing through the curtains, an elderly man sways strangely from side to side. The filmmaker's father, Horst, has almost lost his sight and hearing due to a deterioration that is also eroding his memory. He was once a talkative teacher; now dementia has turned him into an enigma. His son's 16 mm camera captures the movements that habit keeps alive and observes those caused by his decline. Harald Hutter creates a a vivid and painfully beautiful portrait of a resilient man, both deeply personal and universal.

Biography and Films

Harald Hutter (Montreal, 1981) holds a bachelor's degree in art history from Concordia University and a master's degree in film theory from University College London. After directing five short films, he won the Grand Prix at Cinéma du réel and a Special Mention from the Loridan-Ivens / CNAP Award in 2023 with his first documentary feature, Up the River with Acid. He is the head of the Cinematic Arts Department at Paris College of Art and is currently developing several documentary and fiction films.