1984: Searching for an experience beyond modern civilisation, Bruno Manser travels into the jungles of Borneo and finds the nomadic Penan tribe. When the existence of the Penan is threatened by relentless deforestation, Manser takes up the fight against logging with a courage and determination that makes him one of the most renowned and credible environmentalists of his time. Based on a true story. 1980-2000年， 一個遠在瑞士的青年人，不遠千里而來，住在深山野林裡，為最後的游牧民族，本南人(Penan)的雨林，他們的廚房，就是他們棲息處而與他們同住了幾年，過着最原始的生存。同時，他多次與當局(包括砂拉越政府、伐木財團、警方等)週旋及爭取權益，他把本南人带上去了國際舞台，是本南土地成為世界地圖的焦點..... 然而，蜼然經過許多的努力與付出，所收的果效不多，本南人的居住地不斷地受侵蝕，地球的肺也渐被破壞，最後不明不白的消失在林中!?.
As a follow up to Amateur Teens, one could have expected a similarly confrontational and raw film with a low budget aesthetic, but nothing could be further from the truth. Paradise War is radically opposed to its predecessor, both in terms of content and style. The Zurich neighbourhoods give way to images of breathtaking landscapes, and the existential problems of teenagers apparently only concerned with their own small world are replaced with universal concerns. The question is whether this radical change has borne fruit.
Paradise War adapts to the screen the life story of Swiss environmental activist Bruno Manser (1954-2000), a complex, endlessly fascinating figure in many ways mythicised. A kind of “Swiss Ghandi”, Manser was one of the first people in Switzerland to fight for the climate and against the destruction of tropical forests. In 1984, disappointed by the rampant superficiality of modern civilization, he decides to go look for the profound meaning of existence. His journey brings him to the jungle of Borneo, where he meets the nomadic Penan tribe. This encounter forever changes his life, to the point where he becomes (or, at least, look like) “one of them.” While the Penan are threatened by deforestation, Manser becomes their spokesperson and fiercest defender, a man ready to do anything to save his adoptive family from an imminent catastrophe. His battle pushes him over the edge, concluding with his tragic disappearance in 2000.
Based on a true story, Paradise War was shot over 76 days in Switzerland, New York, Budapest, and Borneo. Working conditions were difficult and the crew had to venture in remote locations nestled in the Borneo jungle (Kalimantan). The cast includes professional actors (Swiss actor Sven Schelker in the role of Manser) and non-professionals, most of them members of the Penan tribe. The score is by Gabriel Yared (Oscar winner for The English Patient).
The subject of the film is decidedly topical and the source material rich and captivating. Nevertheless, and despite breathtaking landscapes which it is difficult to believe are real, the character of Manser is suffocated by a quasi religious aura which is ultimately, undeniably, indigestible. It would have been interesting to show the ambiguity which goes with any mythical figure: where is the limit between defending a cause considered to be vital, and the leadership qualities (one could even say the exhibitionism) necessary to make this fight public? Did Manser lose himself fighting to save a community he thought he belonged to? Unfortunately, this grey area isn’t in Hilber’s film, which sees in Manser t as a god rather than a man, a person certainly determined but also complex and ambiguous. Paradise War is an aesthetically grandiose film (with beautiful cinematography by Matthias Reisser) which will doubtless find an audience, but which lacks the complexity which would have made it truly unique.
這部是完整的影片 Bruno Manser-Laki Penan 記錄布魯諾在砂拉越雨林中與本南人的生活情況。 這是一部紀念布魯諾的影片］ 英文字幕
This is the second part of an english translation of a documentary about my great cousin Bruno Manser who lived with the indigenous Penan in Borneo.He just wanted to learn about their way of life but ended up getting involved in a conflict with the government that was instrumental in destroying their habitat.
Bruno Manser-Laki Penan(英文版English Version) Part 1 Bruno Manser-Laki Penan(英文版English Version) Part 2 Bruno Manser-Laki Penan(英文版English Version) Part 3 Bruno Manser-Laki Penan(英文版English Version) Part 4 Bruno Manser-Laki Penan(英文版English Version) Part 5 Bruno Manser-Laki Penan(英文版English Version) Part 6 Bruno Manser-Laki Penan(英文版English Version) Part 7 有關布魯諾曼梳的中文報導
