Berlin / Stockholm based writer and director – Michael Bekele
Flower
Flower Studio is a desk floating between Berlin and Stockholm and occupied by Michael S. Bekele. The studio's roots lie within visual communication and story telling. For the past 4 years the desk has gladly rendered direction and writing services, while at the same time maintaining a loose and open artistic practice. Since the studio's establishment in 2017 there has been a continuous effort to develop and adapt to ever changing external and internal landscapes, which has led to an eclectic mix of different projects.
Some notable and recent projects include: 1) The audio drama Härifrån released on Storytel in 2022, which was directed, created and produced by Michael S. Bekele. Härifrån was awarded with the Golden Ear by the Swedish Radio Academy for best entertainment podcast in 2023. 2) The short film Black Square written and directed by the aforementioned and produced by Gambio Film and Film I Väst with support from the Swedish Film Institute. The short film was completed in 2023 and will have its premiere in 2024.
The studio thrives most under collaborations of all sorts. If you are a past or current comrade, then many thanks and if you are a future one, then welcome! The ambition with all the energy expended and work performed is to empathise with the human condition and make an attempt at creating life affirming and healing narratives. Michael S. Bekele focuses on a language based practice centred around somatic and the subconscious, in order to come anywhere close to this achieving his ambitions.
Hello my friend, how have you been? I've missed you! How are your plants? The sun is out, which must make them happy, and probably makes you glad as well. Winter? Winter is an uncle I never cared about. I am all set for summer, let me tell you. I've even done something new with my hair to celebrate summer's arrival. Parted it down the middle. I think it looks cute, don't you?
I actually do think that this summer is going to be something to remember. There will be plenty of travels to places which I have long longed to visit. Vienna, Tbilisi, a tour through Italy. And wherever I go, I bring my work. Like a tortoise brings its shell. In Italy I will be on a two week performance residency in the Alps. I've never been to the Alps, and the urge to yodel is already very strong.
Hmm, otherwise? The short film I've been working for the last two years is looking for a festival to where it will premiere. Can you believe it? It's called Black Square and I'm quite proud of it. Of course, since you asked that nicely, you can get a sneak peak.
And my audio drama which I got to direct, produce and co-create won the "Golden Ear" for best entertainment podcast by the Swedish Radio Academy. It felt very gratifying to win the prize and share it with all the wonderful and gorgeous people who worked with me on it. It's called Härifrån, another fruitful collaboration with Jason Diakité.
The script writing program I'm in is going rather well. It gives me the opportunity to develop some projects. Some good things have already come out of it. I have two feature films and a TV show under my belt. Giddy up!
A museum in Gothenburg, Röhsska, bought one of my artworks. It's a sculpture, a mask, fittingly titled "The Masked I". It has now entered their collection and will be part of their permanent exhibition which opens this fall. I will be performing a performance lecture at Röhsska in line with the opening of the exhibition. A bit out of my comfort zone but that's just how I like it.
Oh, you gotta go? Good luck with your therapy and taxes. Yes, talk soon! Say hi to my future self, won't you?