A Portrait on the Search
for Happiness

73 min, Documentary






A desert bordered by a deep cold sea. A torn landscape which hides the purest diamonds on earth deep beneath it. Digging for these diamonds with bare hands day and night, are young men on the frontier of a new diamond rush in South Africa. Hope beckons for the previously drug addicted Vianey who yearns for a better life. Nelson Mandela’s dream urges the homeless cook Patrick on into this new, hopeful future. Only George, the diamond diver, who once was a millionaire, is still hanging on to his memories of a bygone time. A poetic journey through the desert, the wind and the sand.

A film in grandiose images and very close to its protagonists speculating poetically around human nature - as well as the power of our dreams. 
Jan Sebening, Dok.Fest München 


A Portrait on the Search for Happiness juxtaposes elegant cinematography and sensitive storytelling with raw truths about today’s South Africa. 
Encounters International South African Documentary Film Festival


A heart-warming journey of hope, resilience and the will of overcoming. 
Zubenathi Malothana, Callsheet Africa


For the director's approach of the subject matter, for the impressive photography, the music, the overall atmosphere and feeling of empathy that is been transmited and fully received by the audience.
Jury-Statment ‘Best Documentary’ at Buzau International Film Festival

Rost’s film suggests a new approach that diversifies the debates regarding the conventions of visual anthropology and representation in cinema.
Jury-Statment ‘Best Ethnographic Film’ at MICE - Mostra Internacional de Cinema Etnográfico

This is a story about the cruelty of life and at the same time about inner beauty and the desire for happiness. This is a powerful directing and cinematography work.
Lena Rubashevskaya, International Ethnographic Film Festival OKO


Director: Benjamin Rost
Cinematographer: Johannes Greisle
Editor: Robin Jünkersfeld
Producer: Mark Szilagyi, Estella Suplit
Distribution: Journeyman Films 

73 min, SWR, HR /  ARD, MFG, MSZ Filmproduction and Consulting, Day Zero Films available now on Amazon Prime, GooglePlay, iTunes and Vimeo


Festivals:

36. Dok.fest München 2021 (nominated for FFF Förderpreis und Megaherz Student Award)
50. Kyiv International Film Festival - Molodist Kiff 2021
32. One World International Human Rights Film Festival 2021
54. Hof International Filmfestival 2020
23. Encounters - South African International Documentary Filmfestival 2021
16. Africa in Motion Film Festival 2021 
43. Biberacher Filmfestspiele 2021
29. Camerimage International Film Festival 2021
11. Alexandria International Film Festival 2021
6. Madrid Human Rights Film Festival 2021
5. Buzau International Film Festival 2021
5. East African International Film Festival 2021
6. Golden Tree International Documentary Film Festival 2021
14. Bir Duino - Kyrgysztan Human Rights Film Festival 2021
3. Diorama International Film Festival 2022
10. Liberation Doc Fest Bangladesh 2022
17. International Ethnographic Film Fest Museum of Galician People MICE 2022
3. Rhodope International Documentary Filmfestival 2022
3. Tulum World Environment Film Festival 2022
3. OKO International Ethnographic Film Festival 2022
19. Verzio International Human Rights Film Festival 2022
4. Ekurhuleni International Film Festival 2022
2. Tulum Environmental Film Festival


Awards:
 
Berlinale ‘Empfang der Filmhochschulen 2019‘ - Pitch - Special Mention
5. Buzau International Film Festival - Winner Best Documentary
5. East African International Film Festival - Winner Best Feature Documentary
6. Golden Tree International Documentary Film Festival - Winner Best Cinematography
14. Bir Duino - Kyrgysztan Human Rights Film Festival - Winner Special Jury Award

3. Diorama International Film Festival - Special Mention 
17. International Ethnographic Film Fest Museum of Galician People MICE - Winner Best Ethnographic Film