PRETTY UGLY
A film by Jan Tenhaven
In Co-production with WDR/arte
Development funded by FFA
What is beautiful? What is ugly? This dateless question has reached a new dimension: cosmetic surgery, Botox and Photoshop – it has never been so easy, to manipulate the look to fit in the ideal of a perfect immaculate body. PRETTY UGLY creates a snatty counterdraft to the present callomania. Del Keens, the ugliest photomodel of the world, leads us with a good portion of humor through the cosmos of imperfectness.
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PRETTY UGLY
A film by Jan Tenhaven
In Co-production with WDR/arte
Development funded by FFA
What is beautiful? What is ugly? This dateless question has reached a new dimension: cosmetic surgery, Botox and Photoshop – it has never been so easy, to manipulate the look to fit in the ideal of a perfect immaculate body.
As the pressure on the ugly, chicken-breasted, wrinkled and unathletic among us is getting bigger and bigger, we see a lot of counter concepts which have already been established in the world of fashion, publicity and pop culture: But are these true attempts to break with the existing ideal of beauty? Or are these just misleading coquetries to confirm our ideal once again?
Del Keens has always been quite an ugly-looking person. Born in East London, his working class childhood did not offer many bright moments. His classmates made fun of his big teeth and his crooked face, and Del made himself comfortable in the role of an outcast. Until one day an advertising photographer saw something cool in his face and engaged Del – as a photomodel. During the 90 ́s he was booked for major campaigns by Diesel, Calvin Klein and Levi‘s. But his success didn’t last very long, he now lives in Berlin, dependent on social welfare. Del has set himself a new goal: He wants to open up the first character model agency in Germany, called Misfit Models. As we follow Del on his mission, we witness not only his but everybody’s struggle to fit into a world dominated by ideals and expectations nobody can fulfil.
Del has found a way to deal with his ugly looks: he has developed his own, very special sense of humour and a good portion of charm. Once you get to know him a little better, you soon forget about the uneven face and the bad teeth and, instead, see the beautiful energy and strength beneath it.
PRETTY UGLY creates a snatty counterdraft to the present callomania. Del Keens, the ugliest photomodel of the world, leads us with a good portion of humor through the cosmos of imperfectness. We gape by seeing this colorful and lively parralelworld. The dateless question of the typical beauty seems to be quite tacky; but a new questions pushes on us: Are Del and his friends a serious trend to more authenticity – or are they just a freak show? Harmless arrests in the empire of king botox? Anyway it ́s encouraging, liberating and cheering to see, how they unspokenly give the plastic world of Heidi Klum & Co. the finger.
Script & Director: Jan Tenhaven
With Del Keens, Marie Glaser, Udo Hoffmann and Boris Ekowski
Director of Photography: Thomas Schneider, Tanja Häring
Sound: Thomas Funk
Second Camera & Color Correction: Falco Seliger
Editing: Kristine Langner
Music: SLIXS
Executive Producer: Christian Beetz
Producer: Georg Tschurtschenthaler, Susanne Radelhof
Commissioning Editor WDR/arte: Lena Brochhagen, Christiane Hinz
Line Producer: Kathrin Isberner
Production Manager: Nick Pastucha
Associate Producer: Anique Roelfsema
Production Assistant: Kris Riebesel, Zora Nessl, Veronika Greskamp
Technical Supervisor: Philipp Weigold
Editing Assistant: Hannes Sternkiker, Leonard Israel
Sound Postproduction: Studio Mitte / Jörg Höhne
Production Administrator: Daniela Schöne, Sandra Zentgraf
Koproduktion
Förderer
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Pretty Ugly
Lubuskie Film Summer - Lagow - Poland
02 July 2014 at 8:00 pm -
TV premiere "PRETTY UGLY"
arte
29 August 2014 at 10:45 pm -
Pretty Ugly
arte
12 June 2015 at 10:55 pm -
Pretty Ugly
arte
22 June 2015 at 2:50 am -
Pretty Ugly
WDR
10 July 2015 at 11:15 pm -
Pretty Ugly
EinsFestival
16 December 2015 at 3:00 pm -
Pretty Ugly
EinsFestival
17 December 2015 at 5:30 am -
Pretty Ugly
EinsFestival
19 December 2015 at 7:50 am -
Pretty Ugly
WDR
01 March 2016 at 12:10 am -
Pretty Ugly
ORF 3
14 March 2016 at 10:00 pm -
Pretty Ugly
ORF 3
15 March 2016 at 2:50 am -
Pretty Ugly
ORF 3
15 March 2016 at 11:20 am
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Frankfurter Rundschau, 30 August 2014 (Harald Keller)
Jan Tenhaven creates a dramaturgically subtle montage and constantly comes up with new surprises. The viewer cannot but question his resentments. …Thrillingly structured and smartly accompanied with music by the vocal ensemble Slixs, one almost might be inclined to recommend this documentary as subject material in school.
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Süddeutsche.de, 29 August 2014 (Thorsten Glotzmann)
He does not expose his protagonists but lets them speak for themselves - because they've got something to tell. ...With all sympathy for Del Keens, Jan Tenhaven does not ignore the commercialization of the displayed "ugliness".
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