Reto Caduff has directed a number of acclaimed documentaries. His most recent film was on jazz bass legend Charlie Haden. The film Charlie Haden - Rambling Boy premiered at REDCAT/Disney Hall in Los Angeles and has played at numerous film festivals, including Telluride and at festivals in Switzerland, Germany, South Korea, Australia and Spain. Reto Caduff is also co-director of A Crude Awakening, a highly successful film on the dwindling oil reserves. Other films include the award winning Krokus on the 80's hard rock band.
Originally from Zurich/ Switzerland, he began his career as a typographer and graphic designer. During those studies he dicovered the work of Herbert Matter. Wanting to express himself in other forms than just on paper, Caduff worked as a host for Swiss National Radio and owned a record label. While directing music videos for his signed acts he discovered a great passion for the moving image. Hungry to learn more but having limited possibilities in his country, he joined Swiss National Television where he worked as a producer and director, In 1994 he moved to New York. Continuing to direct music videos, he also made five half-hour documentaries on ameriacan issues such as lowrider fanatics, kids and guns or UFO believers.
In addition to his film work, Reto Caduff is also a successful TV director, having directed reality TV formats such as Popstars and Big Brother. In 2006 he founded the PiXiU films production company with Laurin Merz.
Reto Caduff lives with his wife Simone in Los Angeles.
ROBERT FRANK is considered the most influential living photographer. With his book The Americans he gained worldwide fame. Frank was born in Zurich and moved to the US in 1947 where he looked up fellow Swiss Herbert Matter. They bacame friends and Matter was instrumental in introducing Frank to the New Yorks art scene.
MASSIMO VIGNELLI has achieved just about anything a designer can achieve. Born in Milan, he has worked both in Italy and the US. In 1966 he took over the KNOLL account after Herbert Matter worked for the company for almost two decades. Always an admirer of Matter's work, Vignelli hired Matter back as the photographer for the Knoll jobs.
JOHN T. HILL was one of Herbert Matter's first students at Yale and subsequently collaborated with Matter on many projects. A master graphic designer in his own right, he finished the Giacometti book after Matter became too ill to finish it himself. Hill is also known as an expert in all things Walker Evans.
JESSICA HELFAND is a graphic designer and author. She was one of the last students at Yale learning from Herbert Matter and is now a critic there herself. She is a regular contributor to the design blog Design Observer and is a partner in the design consultancy Winterhouse.
ALEX MATTER is the son of Herbert and Mercedes Matter. As a child, Alex was often used as a model in his father's work. Alex Matter is a successful filmmaker in his own right and is a driving force behind the conservation of both his parents legacy.
ELAINE LUSTIG COHEN has worn many hats in her career: artist, graphic designer, art dealer and archivist. She was married to designer Alvin Lustig and they lived in Southern California during the time the Matters lived there as well.
KERRY WILLIAM PURCELL is an english author on graphic design and viual culture. He is the author of monographs on design legends Alexey Brodovitch and Müller-Brockmann as well as an unpublished book on Herbert Matter.
STEVE HELLER was an art director at the New York Times for 33 years. He is the co-founder and co-chair of the MFA designer as author program at the School of Visual Arts. As author and/or editor of over 100 books on visual culture he is one of the foremost authorities on design and popular culture.
PiXiU FILMS GMBH
Erismann Hof 2
CH-8004 Zürich/Switzerland
Tel. +41 44 500 24 68
Fax +41 44 500 24 69
www.pixiufilms.com
a PiXiU FILMS production
THE VISUAL LANGUAGE OF HERBERT MATTER
written & directed by
RETO CADUFF
produced by
LAURIN MERZ
RETO CADUFF
producer
SWISS TELEVISION:
URS AUGSTBURGER
MARION BORNSCHIER
3sat:
FRANK HUBRATH
with:
ROBERT FRANK
MASSIMO VIGNELLI
LORRAINE WILD
ALEX MATTER
JORDAN MATTER
MARTIN HESS
STEVEN HELLER
JESSICA HELFAND
JOHN HILL
ADRIAN BÄTTIG
KERRY WILLIAM PURCELL
JOHN COHEN
ELAINE LUSTIG COHEN
JOHN & MARILYN NEUHART
JEFFREY HEAD
DOROTHEA HOFMANN
SHAWN WALDRON
JED PERL
ALVIN EISENMAN
MARC J. FRATTASIO
camera:
LUKE GEISSBUHLER
DANIEL PFISTERER
HAMZA ABUTTAHIR
LAURIN MERZ
DERRICK SANTINI
ANDREAS BIRKLE
ALBERTO ENGELI
editors:
BARBARA LANDI
MICH HERTIG
visual effects:
MARTIN EHLEBEN
opening sequence:
LEFTCHANNEL
sound:
BERNHARD ZITZ
HAMZA ABUTTAHIR