What’s the price of happiness? In the masterclass of the “Pink Elephants” we get some answers. The class is structured to be a pressure cooker. The leader, Bernard Hiller takes the willing on a high intensity shortcut through life. In his sessions, which take place all over Europe and the USA, he makes the aspiring actors dance, crawl, cry, grovel and grow. He demands they talk about their fear; their barriers. The Hollywood acting- & life-coach takes them to their physical and emotional limits. For many a euphoric cleansing but for some it’s cynical shock therapy. “Pink Elephants” follows very different people making their way through the workshops, documents their highs and lows and
questions Hiller´s unconventional methods, somewhat reminiscent of a sect. This journey passes through conflicting truths and perceptions of happiness, manipulation and success. In the end you’ll have to make up your own mind.
PRESSE
"Wer schauspielern will, muss leiden. Zumindest, wenn es nach Bernard Hiller geht, einem so namhaften wie umstrittenen Schauspielcoach, der in seinen Kursen die Teilnehmer an ihre emotionalen Grenzen bringt. Chance zur Selbstfindung oder bloße Manipulation? Die Dokumentation von Susanne Bohlmann fällt kein Urteil über die autoritären und befremdlichen Methoden. Schonungslos zeigt sie die Brutalität einer Branche auf, die mit dem Glitzer der Traumfabrik Hollywood lockt. Unglaublich und bestürzend zugleich."
Süddeutsche Zeitung