Karl Markovics’ debute feature Breathing won the Europa Cinemas Label for the best European Film in Director’s Fortnight. The prize supports European exhibitors to promote and schedule European films at their theatres. In 2009 the Europa Cinemas Label was awarded to another Austrian first feature film: La Pivellina by Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel.

The jury’s statement: Karl Markovics has delivered a very strong debut feature. The story of a young man released from prison who learns how to lead a new life resonates with a number of youth-related themes in films presented at Cannes this year: how to become an adult, how to deal with one’s parents, school, love. Markovics places more emphasis on the story than on aesthetics ? even if the photography is superb. The film is a sombre story but positive, full of life, bolstered by excellent actors. We very much hope that the Label will help the film to touch as wide a public as possible.

BREATHING
directed by Karl Markovics
supported by Austrian Film Institute, FISA, ORF, Vienna Film Fund, Kultur Steiermark, Kultur Niederösterreich
with: Thomas Schubert, Karin Lischka, Georg Friedrich, Gerhard Liebmann

 

Roman Kogler, 19, is serving time in a juvenile detention center. He has already served half of his sentence, and could be released on probation, but his chances are poor: he doesn't have family, and seems incapable of coping with society. After many failed attempts, Roman finds a probation job at the municipal morgue in Vienna. One day, Roman is faced with a dead woman who bears his family name. Even though it soon turns out that she is not his mother, Roman wonders about his past for the first time and starts looking for his mother.