Christian von der Heyden

I was born and grew up in Sélestat in Alsace. At the end of Fifth Form, I quit my secondary school, all I could think of was travelling and discovering something else. I began to travel in Europe, then in Africa, on foot, hitch-hiking, often without a big budget.

I worked during my trips, in the Peloponnese in Greece, in Juba in Sudan, in Bamako in Mali, in Cap town in South Africa during the Apartheid era. My African journeys led me through twenty countries and lasted five years.

Then during the eighties, I made an incursion into Lebanon which was in full torment of war to make art photography. Not easy and a bit crazy.

I spent three years in North America, in Canada where I planted trees on soils which were empty of life, in North California where I moved pianos, painted boats, and built house woods in the middle of big forests. I also spent six months in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, where I cooked country breads in Panarachel, a village situated at the border of a montain lake which was jammed between several vulcanoes, I painted flats in Mexico, and sold souvenirs to American tourists in Puerto Vallerta on the Pacific coast.

I travelled the last years several times in India. During my last trip in Spring 2003, I received a call from my African brothers. In January 2004, I went back to Africa.

 

Filmography:

Anissoroma, my friends

documentary - 52' - 2007 selections : Ecrans du Réel Le Mans France, FIFAI La Réunion 2008 Quintessence - Festival International du Film de Ouidah Bénin 2009, Python Papou, price of the best documentary, Fespaco 2009 out of competition.