The Swabian Danube Valley is considered a valuable habitat for many animals and plants; walkers and cyclists appreciate the region. In recent years, several new chapels have been built there, along a cycle path and in places such as Emersacker, Oberbechingen or Kesselostheim, by architects such as Hans Engel, John Pawson and Christoph Mäckler. The two photographers and filmmakers Orla Connolly and Jens Weber, who live and work in Munich, are dedicating a film to their buildings: “7 Chapels” is a filmic meditation, entirely in the style of slow cinema.
In long shots they approach these new sacred buildings and show how they fit into the Swabian landscape. You can see people on bicycles resting at the chapels, groping along the walls, listening into the rooms. Some of them even pray. The filmmaker duo presents their work in Munich Film Museum as part of the “Open Scene” series; The two are accompanied by Wolfram Oettl, who composed the music for their film.
7 chapelsD 2023, director and camera: Orla Connolly, Jens Weber, Thursday, September 28th, 7 p.m., Filmmuseum, St.-Jakobs-Platz 1