Ivo Zen

In the 1980s the breathtaking scenery of the Engadine is the setting of a social tragedy. The local youth rejects the rigid rules of traditional society. Along with juvenile get-togethers, heroin appears in the mountain valley. As more and more die from overdose, society reacts to the crisis by isolating itself and averting its eyes. The film lifts the veil on the stories untold. Can the memories of this bleak past become part of the Engadine’s acknowledged heritage?

Martin indulged in his excessive use of drugs. He recorded his frenzied life in his diaries while his friend Ivo passionately captured everything on film with his Super 8 camera. Both sought for the absolute – average was not an option. Through the lens of this journal, Ivo Zen tells the story of his generation, a story about friendship and the desire to fly higher than anybody else.