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Water that waltzes

Danube – Europe’s Amazon

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The Story

Romantic coasts and unspoiled nature: the Danube fascinates. It dominates the landscape wherever it flows. The Danube unites and separates at the same time. In the Roman Empire – from its source to its estuary – it formed the frontier to the peoples of the North. Today the big stream flows through ten countries. 1071 kilometres of the Danube still represent national borders.

This extensive portrait of Europe’s second longest river will alternatively present numerous natural paradises along its banks but also the disharmony between humans and nature, between civilization and wilderness. Dams and power plants shift between images of pure nature. World famous cultural landscapes, such as the Wachau or metropolises like Vienna, Bratislava or Budapest are situated along the grand stream and in-between emerge untouched natural landscapes, such as the Danube National Park or the Kopacki Rit. Further south, the river bursts through the Iron Gate between the Carpathians in Romania and the Serbian Ore Mountains.

The estuary into the Black Sea could not be any more spectacular: the large stream finishes up in a unique labyrinth of water, mud and reed – the Danube Delta. It is the last reaming big river delta in Europe and the largest reed bed in the world. Pelicans, cormorants, white tailed eagles and European spoonbill nest in these huge breeding grounds. The area where the Danube originates stands in unparalleled contrast to the unspoiled landscape of the estuary. 3000 kilometres upstream it has its source in a well-kept palace garden in the German Black Forest.

2009 - 2012

HD & 5.1

16:9

2x 50min

German & English

Production Team

Written & Directed by Michael Schlamberger, Rita Schlamberger ● Photographed by Jiří Petr, Michael Schlamberger ● Additional Camera Rolando Menardi, Václav Šena, Mario Cater ● Aerials Irmin Kerck, Simon Werry ● Editor Andrew Naylor ● Grafic Omer Sacic ● Music Andreas Fabianek ● Performed by Wiener Philharmoniker, Johann Strauß Ensemble ● Dubbing Edit & Mix Martin Rohrmoser ● Sound Design Raimund Sivetz ● Writer Paul Reddish ● Narrated by Andrew Solomon ● Archives ORF Archiv, Jürgen Eichinger, Interspot Film, Siegfried Karlinger, Boris Krstinić, Tobias Schmidt, Zoltán Török  ● Colourist Willi Willinger  ● Production Manager Anita Pfeffinger ● Producer Rita Schlamberger ● Co-Producers Jörn Röver/NDR, Udo Zimmermann/BR, Cornelia Theune/ARTE, Philipp Weller/ICPDR ● Executive Producers Andrew Solomon, Tom Matzek

In Association with ARTE and ICPDR.

Thanks to Peter Áč, Universität für Bodenkultur, Österreichische Bundesforste, Via Donau, Nationalpark Donauauen, Luba Hlásek, Ewald Hochebner, Kurt Kracher, Leonidas & Richard Prešinský, Martin Schneider-Jakoby, Gerhard Schwab, Josef Steiner.

Eine Koproduktion von ORF/UNIVERSUM, ScienceVision, NDR Naturfilm und BR.

Awards

PART 1: FROM THE BLACK FOREST TO THE BLACK SEA

Telenatura 2012
Spain, October 2012, “Best Film, City of Pamplona Award”

Ökofilmtour 2012
Germany, October 2012, Nomination

AFO | International Festival of Science Documentary Films
Czech Republic, April 2013, Nomination

Vendée Nature, le Festival de l’Insolite 2013
France, June 2013, Nomination

Envirofilm Festival
Slovakia, June 2013, Prize of the Head of the Banská Bystrica Self-Governing Region

Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival
USA, September 2013, Nomination category “Best Wildlife Habitat Program”

11th Matsalu Nature Film Festival
Estonia, September 2013, 1st prize category “Nature”

Cannes Corporate Media & TV Award
France, October 2013, „Gold Dolphin“ category „Environment & Ecology“

Namur Nature Festival

Belgium, October 2013, “Best Commentary Award”

International Science Film Festival
Greece, October 2013, Nomination

SILA Fest, Silver Lake Tourfilm Festival
Serbia, September 2014, Golden Wave (Best Ecology Film)

International Green Film Festival
Iran, May 2016, Nomination

 

PART 2: FOREST, FLOOD, FROST

Wildlife Film festival Vaasa 2012
November 2012, Finland, “Certificate of Merit – Best Natural History Film”

Shanghai Television Festival
China, June 2013, Nomination

Sondrio Festival
Italy, October 2013, Nomination

Ménigoute’ Film Festival
France, November 2013, „Prix Paul Géroudet“

Internationales Berg- und Abenteuerfilmfestival Graz
Austria, November 2013, Nomination

1st Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam
Netherlands, October 2015, Nomination

 

THE SERIES 

Santa Barbara International Film Festival
USA, February 2012, Nomination

7th “Green Wave – 21st Century” European Environment Festival
Bulgaria, September 2012, Nomination

CINE Golden Eagle Festival 2012
USA, September 2012, CINE Golden Eagle Award category “Environment and Natural Science”

Deauville Green Festival
France, April 2013, Nomination

International Wlodzimierz Puchalski Nature Film Festival Lodz
Poland, June 2013, Nomination

Wild Talk Africa
South Africa, July 2013, Nomination best series

Green Screen International Film Festival
Germany, September 2013, Nomination “Best Camera” & “Best Postproduction”

DocumentArt Festival
Romania, September 2013, Award „for documentary on biodiversity & tourism”

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