Damien Molineaux

Damien began with technical training in photography, video, and film, during which he learned to work with both film and digital video. With a bachelor’s degree in film (1995) and a postgraduate degree in multimedia (2004), he specializes in shooting and color grading, as well as post-production in general. His understanding of video and film formats means he is well equipped to manage projects that combine different sources, particularly those containing a lot of archive material.

Alongside his work as an image technician, he is also developing his skills as a filmmaker by producing short films, institutional films, podcasts, and documentaries.
For more information, see the full bio below.

contact:

Full Bio

Biography
1991-1995 | Damien Molineaux studied technical photography and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in film from the Brooks Institute of Photography (Santa Barbara, CA). He then perfected his training by working in a photo studio and as a camera assistant in Los Angeles, before returning to Switzerland in 1996. He then began working as a cameraman/video journalist, notably for Greenpeace International, with whom he covered several campaigns across Europe.

1999 | Initially with the aim of producing his own projects, he founded Earthling Productions, which became an association of filmmakers in 2006. The association develops documentary and fiction films dealing with issues related to development: social, economic, environmental, and political topics. Earthling’s first film was released in 2000. He co-directed it with Thibaut Kahlbacher, “En Afrique… c’est la mémoire chante” (In Africa… memory sings), a documentary on the evolution of traditional music in West Africa. He has also directed numerous short films and reports, notably for Télévision Suisse Romande.

2001-2004 | Interested in the evolution of broadcasting methods, he took a postgraduate course in multimedia at the Geneva University of Art and Design (now HEAD), where he also worked as a video assistant in the Visual Communication department. His diploma project explored the interactive possibilities of the DVD video format.

2002-2008 | He worked part-time as a designer/producer at the City of Geneva Multimedia Center. Among other things, he helped create the program “DACtualité” (which became “InSitu” in 2008), a monthly six-minute cultural program broadcast on local channels Léman Bleu and TV8 Mt Blanc, as well as on the Department of Culture’s website (see the Department of Culture’s YouTube page).

2008 to present | He is a partner in Face-C SA (formerly C-Side Productions SA), a collective within which he devotes himself to image work: in post-production, as a colorist and post-production manager; and in filming, as a director of photography.

2006 to present | He continues his activities with Earthling Productions. He has produced or co-produced numerous projects, including, in 2005, a series of films for the exhibition Nous Autres at the Geneva Museum of Ethnography; in 2006, “Hasta la última piedra” by Juan Lozano, which won numerous awards and distinctions. In 2010, Sandra Hebler’s Raclette Kirghiz was released, for which he was also director of photography. The film was selected for more than a dozen festivals and won the Grand Jury Prize at the Festival du Film Pastoralismes et Grands Espaces. In 2011, Vania Aillon’s “La terre tremble” was selected for the Cinéma du Réel festival in Paris and the Visions du Réel festival in Nyon, among others. In 2012, Cicero Egli’s “Le jour viendra” was selected for the Locarno Film Festival. In 2013, Canorta by Aline Suter & Céline Carridroit, co-produced by RTR (Radio Télévision Romanche), was selected for the Solothurn Film Festival. In 2014, two films were selected for the Visions du Réel festival: “La Trace” by Gabriel Tejedor & Enrico Pizzolato and “Resuns” by Aline Suter & Céline Carridroit, co-produced by RTS (Radio Télévision Suisse).

Earthling is now a bustling collective, which organizes the radio listening festival “Les yeux grands fermés” (first edition in 2019, second edition in 2021, third edition in 2022, now a biennial event, with the fourth edition scheduled for May 2024). In 2022, he co-produced with the association Gena, John and the kids, the documentary “Lettres ouvertes” by Katharine Dominicé, on which he was also director of photography. The film will have its world premiere at the Geneva International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights in March 2023.

2013 to 2020 | He co-organizes, with Sandrane Ducimetière, the Kino Kabaret in Geneva, a participatory filmmaking laboratory, the first edition of which took place in January 2014. This event is part of the global Kino movement, which brings together more than 100 groups around the world with the aim of offering filmmakers, technicians, craftsmen, actors, etc. the opportunity to practice their art, experiment, and expand their network. The first edition was an immediate success, with more than 100 participants and 18 short films made in one week, which were screened as part of the Black Movie festival. A second edition was organized in January 2015, this time over 10 days with three production sessions (each lasting three days). The number of participants grew to over 150, resulting in 32 short films. During the third edition, 279 participants created 38 short films, including four shot in Super8 thanks to a partnership with ZebraLab. Since then, the event has become highly anticipated both locally and internationally. After a one-year hiatus in 2019, the sixth edition took place in January 2020 with more than 250 participants, producing 35 short films in 15 days. Due to a lack of resources and support following the Covid-19 pandemic, which brought the event to a halt, it has not resumed since.

Since 2021 | Damien has been exploring sound and producing his first audio podcast, intended to be part of a series called “Le micro dans le cambouis” (The microphone in the grease), which can be found here: Radio Bascule. He is also working on a project as a director, which was filmed in 2021 and 2022 and is currently being edited.

Occasionally | Damien Molineaux teaches courses and workshops at numerous schools and institutions, including HEAD, ECAL, eracom, L’École d’art de la Chaux-de-Fonds, SAE, Fonction:Cinéma, FOCAL, CFP Arts, etc. He has also been entrusted with the authoring of numerous DVDs, including: Stephen Dwoskin, 14 films, Box 1/3, Treaty Bodies, (an interactive DVD in three languages, in PAL and NTSC, for the UNHCR), Autrefois Genève (volumes 1, 2, 3, and 4), Michel Soutter (4 films), Guy Milliard, l’intime et le monde, À la recherche des pas trouvé, an archive DVD on the work of dancer and choreographer Noemi Lapzeson, pushing the interactivity of the medium to its limits.

Today | He divides his time between: technical and artistic work on images as a colorist and director of photography, working on various projects ranging from documentaries to fiction and advertising, at Face-C SA (formerly C-Side Productions SA); the development and production of projects with Earthling Productions, with the aim of enabling films dealing with social and development issues to see the light of day; the creation of audiovisual content for communication purposes; and assisting students and teachers of photography and video at the CFP Arts (Centre de Formation Professionnelle Arts).