The children of Heaven's Meadow
by Detlev F. Neufert

This movie will be the conclusion of the Heavens Meadow trilogy. For a a few words about the background:

The outbreak of AIDS in 1981 was a catastrophe for mankind with more than 40 million victims (as of 2023).

 

All over the world, research was carried out to find solutions to prevent further people from dying from this virus. In Thailand, this included many children infected by their deceased parents and driven out of their village by unenlightened and superstitious relatives, often dying a lonely death.

In 2003, the documentary filmmaker Detlev F. Neufert heard about a project for Aids orphans in Thailand, which represented the ray of hope he had long sought-after: The village of Baan Gerda in central Thailand,
founded and built by Henkel's Managing Director Karl Morsbach and his Thai wife Tassanee.

 

They had seen how these infected and terminally ill orphans were admitted to the Buddhist monastery Wat Prabat Namphu in Lopburi to die. The two knew that they could not save the children's lives
but they at least wanted to make their last days on earth easier.

Next to the temple they built a small house, named after the mother of
Karl Morsbach 'Gerda' and 'Baan' (Thai for 'village'). Here the children should be able to walk to heavens meadow with a different view than that of decay and death. The children to whom they wanted to give a last home had only a few days to live. Among the first was five-year-old Benz.

After 14 days, the Morsbachs had a big and wonderful problem: none of the children wanted to die. That gave them food for thought and they realized: why would a child who knows he is protected and cared for want to die?

The Morsbachs came up with the promising idea of creating families for these children and found "parents" for it whose partners had died of HIV, for example, or who were themselves infected and able to control the virus. Thus an AIDS orphan village with over 150 residents was created.

Neufert's film "Heavens Meadow. The small wonders of Baan Gerda"
documents this story using the example of Benz at the age of eight.
The boy's maturity and his wise sentences leave the audience, regardless in whichever language they read the subtitles, still take a deep breath.

 

Worldwide means that the movie has been seen by over 20 million people. Among them the Thai royal family, heads of government, presidents and many world celebrities. The Kingdom of Buthan, known for caring about the happiness of its peoples, has broadcast " Heavens Meadow" via the state TV program to even the most remote villages. Hollywood director Wolfgang Petersen called the film "a masterpiece".

A second film, "Dancing on Heavens Meadow", was made when Benz was 16 years old. In it, director Neufert follows the pubescent schoolboy through his everyday life.

In the meantime, Baan Gerda had developed into an independent village with farming, a sewing workshop, a carpentry workshop and permanent family members.

Thanks to successful medical research and intensive education, AIDS
is now controllable. The Thai government was the first government in the
world to give medicine free of charge to those infected. It still does today.

Thanks to the many sponsors, Baan Gerda no longer needs donations.
Also thanks to the two films. A Canadian childless and widowed millionaire gave her entire fortune to Baan Gerda after the broadcast on DEUTSCHE WELLE.

This is another reason why most of the children and house parents
have been able to leave Baan Gerda. The regular intake of medication guarantees them a normal life. They are studying, have found a job and
can start their own families. After twenty years, the small miracle of Baan Gerda has become a reality. As a model for the world, as UNESCO has put it.

So much for the background to the Heavens Meadow trilogy.

"The children of Heavens Meadow" is currently in progress as the third part after the following treatment.

Karl Morsbach has died in the meantime and has now certainly arrived at Heaven's Meadow himself. And Benz?

Benz now lives in the most seductive metropolis in the world. In Bangkok.

He works temporarily in a cocktail bar in Bangkok's Sathorn district. When the owner suspects that he is infected with HIV, he fires him. He currently earns his money as a motorcycle courier or food vendor.

At the age of eight, this is not yet the case, but at 16 and with maturing
sexual preferences, is now lived openly by him at the age of 30.
He is now a 'kathoey', a ladyboy, a transvestite. ("Compared to
Western societies," says Wikipedia, "in Thailand, kathoeys are considered a visible and accepted part of society. According to the Buddhist
karma doctrine, they are destined to live this way.")

 

From time to time, he sends money from the little he earns to Baan
Gerda. Out of gratitude.

But sometimes he is also tired of life. In addition to the financial hardships of everyday life is compounded by the psychological burden of his HIV. His eyes are sad. His outfit doesn't seem to suit him. He doubts his karma. In his loneliness, he often asks his parents to stand by him at the grave.

An idea he learned from Baan Gerda matures in him: Benz decides
to start his own family.

But who wants a transvestite in the family?

Sometimes only a miracle, or an angel, can help. And that is Ton. A
twelve-year-old farm boy from Isan. The 'poor' region in the north-east of Thailand, where the old tradition of family and village life is still practiced. In contrast to a world world that has become rootless.

Ton, the saving angel?

He lives with his grandmother on a small farm in Mahasalakham. His
parents work in Bangkok. He visits them on vacation. There he meets Benz.

He loves art and 'mao lam', the traditional music of Isan. He is a
gifted singer. He already has 1 million followers on facebook. He
helps Benz to start a family.

There is valuable information on starting a family from scratch
with lots of situation comedy. Many scenes from the everyday life of a transvestite in Bangkok and that of a simple village boy from Isan.

Benz's meeting with the most beautiful woman in the transgender world, 'Miss Tiffany' in Pattaya or, in contrast, the song that Ton sings for his grandmother every evening with the eavesdropping cow in the background, will not leave the audience unmoved.

A beautiful Mercedes from 1971 will also play a role. The two 'drive' it on an imaginary trip around the world. The normal dream of poor people?

 

The rich aunt from America is also a must. Also a transvestite.
Benz: "I don't have a rich aunt in America."
Auntie: "Papperlapp. Everyone has a rich aunt in America."

Get out of reality. Isn't that what we all want from time to time? A little
Bollywood on top.

Of course, scenes from the two previous films are included in 'The
Children of Heavens Meadow'.

The movie will be shot in four phases in Thailand:

Phase 1: Benz's life in Bangkok.

Phase 2: Ton's life in Isan.

Phase 3: The meeting of Benz and Ton.

Phase 4: Dream scenes.

Post-production takes place in Berlin.

This feature film is a mixture of documentary and fiction. Its ethical background is the fight against discrimination and stigmatization. Worldwide.

The premiere is scheduled for January 2025 at the Tiffany Theatre in Pattaya. This will be followed by a tour of Germany and international distribution.

A short trailer will already be shown at the Munich World AIDS Conference on 25. July 2014. Neufert has been invited to speak about the idea of Baan Gerda.

Finally, a few words about the director and producer
Detlev F. Neufert, his work and about sponsorship:

 

Neufert has won many awards and is known for his films about the many unknown sides of life. What is probably unknown to his viewers: Neufert finances all his films himself, which is very couragous these days.

"Neufert has the tremendous courage to thematize happiness," writes
the Berliner Zeitung about his work. With his films, he not only wants to depict the catastrophes of our lives, but to counter them with something. Entirely in the spirit of all the people who stand up for others.

 

His work encourages viewers to never give up, even in the worst life situations. It strengthens the belief in the good in people and leaves
no doubt that every person is worthy of being loved.

That is why his entire team and many of his friends are working hard in the realisation of this honest story about two people from whom we can learn a lot. From Benz and Ton. And from Baan Gerda.

Thanks to HENKEL's sponsorship, the first half has now been filmed.
As soon as the financing for the second part is in place, filming will continue.

In a recent conversation with team and friends in Thailand, Neufert cheered them up. Neufert: "The glass of wine that you want to drink with me at the end, you can donate for the movie this time. It can also be part of the wine cellar."

 

And he has a message for all future sponsors: "We are grateful for every

Sponsorship and every donation that makes this movie possible. From
50 euros you will receive a DVD of "The children of Heavens Meadow" and you will be immortalized in the credits, and you will also become part of my idea that films can improve the world and help people in a concret way."

Specifically, Neufert is also thinking of Benz and Ton, to whom the finished film 'The children of Heavens Meadow' can also mean financial security for their future.