OTTO’S PASSION / OTTO’S OBSESSION

TV Documentary – 44 Minutes
Written and Directed by Andrew Wall
Produced by Trevor Suffield and Andrew Wall
Executive Produced by Kyle Bornais
Associate Produced by Korey Dyck
Production Executive for the CBC, Iris Yudai
Broadcasting on CBC Manitoba
Made in part with the gracious support of The Plett Foundation

COMPLETION: SUMMER of 2018

Otto’s Passion is the story of filmmaker Otto Klassen, one of Canada’s most fascinating, prolific and yet obscure filmmakers…

Otto was raised a Mennonite in Ukraine during the 1930’s, surviving Stalin’s repressive Soviet Union and then under Hitler’s invading army during World War 2. Fleeing the destruction of post war Europe, Otto and his family found a temporary home in the jungles of Paraguay before ultimately immigrating to Winnipeg, Canada. It is there, in the basement of the local CBC, where a friend would teach Otto how to edit, write and produce films.

Once established as a filmmaker, Otto was determined to capture the Mennonite story on film. The story of both struggle, tragedy and freedom as he had lived. It would become Otto’s mission, his purpose and arguably his obsession for more than forty years.

* 15 minute version titled Otto’s Obsession for Bravofactual / Bell Media available spring 2018.