Director's Note

I first met Stephan Holl & Antoinette Köster of the German film label Rapid Eye Movies in Rotterdam International Film Festival circa 2005. As distributors, they’ve triggered the breakthroughs of Kitano, Miike, Park Chan-wook, Kim Ki-Duk for Germany, as well as Indian Cinema in Europe. Rapid Eye Movies and my company Kamias Overground first collaborated on my 30th feature “Mondomanila” in 2012. After collaborations in 2013, 2014, and 2016, we’re currently in post-production with "Phantasm of Revenge", my 35mm silent film adaptation of Jose Rizal’s unfinished 3rd novel Makamisa.

I had no idea that Alexander Kluge, a Munich resident and living legend of German film, literature, and culture, would get to watch "Alipato" and like it so much to get him out of his more-than-20-year film hiatus and make his 15th feature film. Our first film collaboration, "Happy Lamento", premiered in Venice 2018. "Orphea" is my second collaboration with Alexander Kluge. Similar to "Happy Lamento", it’s half-Khavn, half-Kluge; meaning 45 minutes is from me, and 45 minutes is from Alexander — but mashed up in a way that it’s unpredictable whose is what and where it goes next.

Since two films are playing at the same time, here's a surreal suggestion of the filmmaker himself, Khavn:

Allot one eye and one ear for each film. 
It's a Khavn-Kluge sensory adventure!

To savor the flavor of both Khavn and Kluge, consider this pairing:

• If you watch "Alipato" on Friday, catch "Orphea" on Saturday.
• If "Happy Lamento" tickles your fancy on Friday, indulge in "Love Is A Dog from Hell" on Saturday.

"Happy Lamento" and "Alipato" are like twins — 
sharing some traits but oh-so-different! 
It's like a cinematic yin and yang. 
Same same but different.

Looking for the strangest, most surreal date idea? 
How about each of you watching a different film at the same time? 
You tackle "Alipato" while your date dives into "Happy Lamento".
Your date catches "Orphea" while you succumb to "Love Is A Dog From Hell". 
Then, swap tales of your cinematic adventures and ponder life's mysteries together!

But an impossible word of caution: 
Never watch "Alipato" right after "Happy Lamento", or "Love Is A Dog From Hell" right after "Orphea". 
That's a recipe for deep-fried brains!

The best way to experience Khavn's films? 
Keep one eye open, preferably the left one. 
Listen with one ear, ideally the right one. 
Mouth wide open, tongue hanging out as far as you dare. 
Strike the Nosferatu pose, just like a crypt-dwelling bat. 

And don't forget the subtitles! 

Treat them like a wazak karaoke session. 
Read aloud and sing your heart out! 

Get ready for a cinematic journey like no other! 
See you at the screenings, brave misadventurers!