Director's StatementWhen the father of the little trumpet wonder Anibal proudly speaks about his son’s musical eagerness on a Caribbean beach, then many of us remember when we, as children, were picked up by our fathers after a boring piano lesson.I want the viewers to be able to identify with the protagonists in the film. To achieve this, a large basis of trust that enables communication and provides stimulation is needed. The goal is to explore the similarities of seemingly foreign worlds, to pose questions that move young people of all nations – no matter if it is in South America or Europe. When this identification first happens, then the differences between the viewers and the protagonists can be pointed out: Affluent worlds versus exotic worlds, safe worlds and criminal worlds. When the mestizo harp teacher of the young coffee farmer Luis teaches the arpeggio playing of Bach, a trusted atmosphere emerges in a foreign world. The difference is revealed to the viewer in an even more blatant way when he observes that same person during his nightly ritual of loading ammunition and the fact is laid before him that this coffee farmer only gets a fraction of what Americans and Europeans pay for a cup of coffee for his work. “Mata Tigre” allows us to dream our own dreams again and to admire the diligence that Anibal, Leonardo and Luis Alfredo devote to music. Ultimately, it deals much more than with the mere fulfilling of a dream: It is the hope for a humane and worthy life. |