HERCULES (2023) - Short documentary by Felix Bartke and Nils Ramme
Hercules travels by bike from Krefeld in the Lower Rhine region to Mount Olympus, the throne of ancient deities. In the process, the legend of Hercules, as a primal myth of masculine power, is interrogated by means of biographical reflections and stagings of mythological echoes. The dramatic structure of this hero’s journey breaks up, in multi-material perspective, into issues of male identity, ideals and remorse.
CRUISER (2022) - Short documentary by Felix Bartke and Nils Ramme
The film Cruiser shows fragments of a subculture practiced in the German city of Oberhausen, that transfers symbols and practices of the outlaw motorcycle scene to bicycling. Jan is awarded the group's patch at the campfire, Hercules makes tea in the workshop and Sidney gets a Mohawk shaved by his father. The group's rituals and the sensuality of their two-wheelers are at the center of the film alongside the construction of masculinity. Documentary observations are contrasted with a 16mm plane, in which symbols, codes and poses of the group are contextualized within cinematographical customs.
