Scars of Growth (Direction and composition of the original music for the documentary film)
Documentary film | Monika Grassl, Linda Osusky | 2024
Austria, Germany 2024 / 90 minutes
Directors/Writers: Monika Grassl, Linda Osusky
Producers: Andi G Hess, Danny Krausz
Production Manager: Christine Schwarzinger
Cinematography: Carolina Steinbrecher
Second Camera / Drone: Patrick Wally
Editing: Lisa Zoe Geretschläger
Music: Jan Vysocky
Sound Design: Lenja Gathmann
Synopsis
Do we need to get dirty before we go green?
Scars of Growth is a film about the contradiction that one of the most polluting
industries has become an ally in the fight against climate change.
The Green Deal is Europe’s new growth strategy, framed as a solution to avert climate collapse.
By promoting electric cars and renewable energy the EU aims to
boost economic growth while safeguarding the planet. Yet these “green” technologies
require vast amounts of metals, most of which currently come from China. To reduce
this dependency a new EU law to push for more mining within Europe is implemented.
A sweeping majority of politicians back the reopening of “green mines” in Europe.
The communities living on these sites, however, worry that their livelihoods will
be forsaken in the name of accelerating the energy transition.
Héctor, a farmer from Spain, and Matti, one of the last indigenous reindeer herders
in Sweden, believe their already sustainable livelihoods will be sacrificed for big
industries’ interests.
Is there a way out of the extractive mindset our economies and governments are trapped in?
Music
Composition and recording direction: Jan Vysocky
Musicians: Arden Day – prepared piano, Félicie Bazelaire – cello, Maxime Roman – guitar, Jan Vysocky – natey, e-bows, and electronics
Recordings with prepared piano performed by Arden Day. Jan Vysocky and Arden Day have been collaborating since 2010 on film music and electroacoustic compositions, forming the duo Unbehagen, which has released work on the Austrian label No Chords and has been supported by .dıtiramb in the organization of concerts.
Jan Vysocky, composer and sound designer, transcends borders and genres. Born in the Czech Republic and raised in Austria, Jan’s musical journey began amidst the landscapes of northern Burgenland, where he discovered his passion for sound exploration at a young age. Trained at the Institute of Electroacoustics and the University of Applied Arts Vienna, Jan’s early collaborations with young French filmmakers in the early 2000s sparked his interest in the relationship between sound and image. His compositions have enriched the soundtracks of fiction and documentary, short and feature films, theatrical productions, and contemporary dance performances. In 2010, Jan went to Paris, establishing Studio Cairos and its associated entity, Cairos Edition, dedicated to musical creation and sound design. As a member of the quintet “Pancrace,” Jan’s contributions to their debut album earned praise from esteemed publications such as Wire Magazine, the Chicago Reader, and Soundohm. Their second effort, released in 2019 on Penultimate Press, London, showcased their innovative spirit with the creation of “Organous,” a spatial and transportable pipe organ controlled by MIDI. Jan’s recent collaborations as a film composer include “Wake Me (Zbudi Me),” a fiction drama directed by Marko Santic, and the horror documentary feature “Playing Dead! (Fais le mort!)” by Matthew Lancit (currently broadcasted on Arte). The short film “Tsutsue” by Ghanaian director Amartei Armar incl. Jan’s soundtrack was featured in the official selection of the 75th Cannes Film Festival.