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    DEMOCRACY LTD by Robert Schabus at CPH DOX

    Robert Schabus examines the question why populist politicians meet with such strong resonance in European democracies. His new film DEMOCRACY LTD celebrates its world premiere as a contender in the F:ACT Award competition and as opening film of the focus on Europe. Also screening in Copenhagen: THE BORDER FENCE by Nikolaus Geyrhalter, SEA OF SHADOWS by Richard Ladkani.
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    INTERVIEW
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    «Democracy means creating an open area for debate.»

    Robert Schabus

    Is his documentary film DEMOCRACY LTD Robert Schabus investigates the crisis in European democracy, focussing especially on the failure of the political elite to listen to the needs of the people. The filmmaker explored the situation in the run-up to the 2017 elections in France and Germany, analysed the aftermath of the referendums in Great Britain and Greece and looked closely at Austria, now with a right wing government, in an attempt to understand why populism has met with such powerful resonance in these democracies.

     

    Austrian films at international festivals

    Participations January - March 2019

    Austrian films on international screens

    Theatrical releases
    October 2016 – March 2019
    DE – EN

    «Create a space where the present and the past overlap.»

    Cliff’s garage, where he prepares used cars and second-hand parts for sale and export, is a very special place. And the Nigerian metal dealer, who has built up a business in Austria over the years all by himself, is an extremely distinctive character. In his essay MOVEMENTS OF A NEARBY MOUNTAIN Sebastian Brameshuber creates a portrait of a man and a place, observing a determined loner as he goes about his work inside and outside time, thus bringing history and the present to life in the setting of the Erzberg iron ore mining region in Styria.
    SHORT NEWS

    MOVEMENTS OF A NEARBY MOUNTAIN at the 41st Cinéma du réel

    Sebastian Brameshuber's new essay is the portrait of a man and a place, observing a determined loner as he goes about his work inside and outside time. MOVEMENTS OF A NEARBY MOUNTAIN celebrates its world premiere within the international competition of the Cinéma du réel festival in Paris

    «A gripping, intelligent psychodrama»

    Marie Kreutzer’s Golden Bear competition entry THE GROUND BENEATH MY FEET seen by the press:

    Variety highlights „a gripping, intelligent psychodrama“,  The Hollywood Reporter points out the „depth of insight that is rare in the cinematic treatment of this most misunderstood of diseases“. read more

    Berlinale 2019: Prize of the ecumenical jury to EARTH ...

    ... by Nikolaus Geyrhalter and two more distinctions to German-Austrian co-productions:  BORN IN EVIN by Maryam Zaree wins the Compass Perspective Prize, Thomas Heise’s Forum entry HEIMAT IS A SPACE IN TIME the Caligari Prize. The jury statements ...
     

    THE WALDHEIM WALTZ awarded in Atlanta

    The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival awards Ruth Beckermann’s THE WALDHEIM WALTZ with the
    Documentary Jury Prize. The Building Bridges Jury Prize went to Austrian-Czech-Slovak co-production THE INTERPRETER by Martin Šulik.

    Berlinale 2019: DIE KINDER DER TOTEN wins FIPRESCI prize

    Performance artists Kelly Copper & Pavol Liska (The Nature Theater of Oklahoma) impressed the Berlinale film critics who awared the FIPRESCI Prize to their first cinematic work DIE KINDER DER TOTEN, a silent and gruesome march of the undead, inspired by the overwhelming novel of Nobel Prize winner Elfriede Jelinek.
    INTERVIEW
    DE – EN

    «We all function in a performance-oriented society.»

    Marie Kreutzer
    Lola does everything she can to disown her sister, while Conny does everything she can to compel attention from her sister. Marie Kreutzer’s THE GROUND BENEATH MY FEET follows two women, at first sight such complete opposites, as they struggle with family links and the merciless professional world in their attempt to save themselves.

    The Guardian: «Geyrhalter proves again that he is a unique figure in world cinema.»

    „You’ve heard of climate change but this latest documentary-spectacle from Austrian filmmaker Nikolaus Geyrhalter is about landscape change. Read more of the GUARDIAN-review on EARTH by Peter Bradshaw.

    3 nominees for the Glashütte Original-Documentary Award

    The Berlinale has announced the entries for the Glashütte Original-Documentary Award 2019.
    EARTH by Nikolaus Geyrhalter as well as the German-Austrian co-productions BORN IN EVIN by Maryam Zaree and HEIMAT IS A SPACE IN TIME by Thomas Heise are among the 17 contenders for the Berlinale Best Documentary Award. Last year this distinction endowed with € 50, 000 went to Ruth Beckermann’s THE WALDHEIM WALTZ.
    INTERVIEW
    DE – EN

    «The Earth's crust – its skin – is its most delicate organ.»

    Nikolaus Geyrhalter
    The concept of the Anthropocene Age, suggesting that humankind has become a greater influence on the planet than nature, is what prompted Nikolaus Geyrhalter to take a closer look in EARTH at the Earth's crust and the internal and external wounds which our drive for progress relentlessly requires.
    INTERVIEW

    «Film is a medium of transmission – not only of story, but of spirit. »

    Kelly Copper, Pavol Liška – Nature Theater of Oklahoma
    Elfriede Jelinek’s powerfully eloquent novel provided the literary basis for the film project DIE KINDER DER TOTEN , where the American performance artists Kelly Copper & Pavol Liska stage a gruesomely eccentric march of the undead in silent film format.
    INTERVIEW
    DE – EN

    «Es wurde für uns zur Prämisse, dass dieser Film unser Leben retten muss.»

    Für ihr Vorhaben, in der Obersteiermark gemeinsam mit der lokalen Bevölkerung im Genre des Heimatfilms zu experimentieren, wagten sich Kelly Copper & Pavol Liska an Elfriede Jelineks Textmassiv Die Kinder der Toten, ohne die deutschen Sprache zu beherrschen. Claus Philipp, künstlerischer Mitarbeiter und Dramaturg, legte durch seine vermittelnde Lektüre den Zugang ins sprachliche Dickicht des 666 Seiten umfassenden Opus magnum und war von Anfang an in der Aufbereitung des Terrains für ein einzigartiges Film-, Performance- und Publikumsprojekt eingebunden.

    Berlinale 2019: Austrian films in Competition and Forum

    On top of Marie Kreutzer's Golden Bear contender THE GROUND BENEATH MY FEET the Berlinale Forum hosts the world premiere of Nikolaus Geyrhalter's new film EARTH as well as the first feature film of performance artists Kelly Copper and Pavol Liska with their haunting and witty Super-8-approach to Elfriede Jelinek's major novel DIE KINDER DER TOTEN.
    INTERVIEW
    DE – EN

    «Online encounters have a lot to do with the person's own projections.»

    In Gregor Schmidinger’s debut feature film NEVRLAND two young men become lost in a labyrinth between childhood and growing up, between the virtual world and reality, until he sends his protagonists Jakob and Kristjan, both members of Generation Y, plunging into the terrifying depths of their own psyche.

    Young Austrian cinema sweeps 7 awards at MOP Saarbrücken

    Each of the three Austrian contenders in the main Max Ophüls Prize competition took at least one major award: JOY by Sudabeh Mortezai the MOPs for the socially relevant film and best young actress Joy Alphonsus, NEVRLAND by Gregor Schmidinger the MOPs of the Youth Jury and for best young actor Simon Frühwirth, KAVIAR by Elena Tikhonova the MOP Audience Award.
     
    SHORT NEWS

    Ludwig Wüst in focus at Arsenal

    One year after the world premiere of Ludwig Wüst’s latest film Departure at the Berlinale Forum 2018, the Berlin based ARSENAL Kino dedicates a retrospective to the film- and theater director LUDWIG WÜST and his intense and idiosyncratic cinematic language from Feb 1 to 3, 2019.

    KAVIAR and NEVRLAND vying for Max Ophüls Prize

    Young Austrian cinema is represented with two world premieres of two feature debuts in the main Max Ophüls Prize Competition: the culture clash comedy KAVIAR by Elena Tikhonova and NEVRLAND by Gregor Schmidinger, a terrifying coming-of-age journey of a young man into his own self. 

    Berlinale 2019: Marie Kreutzer’s new film in Golden Bear competition

    THE GROUND BENEATH MY FEET, Marie Kreutzer’s fourth feature film about two unequal sisters, starring Valerie Pachner, Pia Hierzegger and Mavie Hörbiger has been unveiled as one of the contenders of the 69th Berlinale competition.
    INTERVIEW
    DE – EN

    «What does being grown-up really mean?»

    For his debut feature film Gregor Schmidinger has created a Nevrland between being a child and being grown-up, between reality and fantasy, between the genuine and the staged self. He sends his protagonists Jakob and Kristjan, offspring of Generation Y, into this world on a terrifying journey from the surface to their individual depths. A conversation with Gregor Schmidinger (director) and Ulrich Gehmacher (producer).

    JOY reaches for Golden Star at Marrakech

    After Venice, London and Chicago Sudabeh Mortezai’s JOY takes again a major award: The 17th Marrakech film festival honors her second feature film with its main prize, the Etoile d’or.

    Sundance with thrilling voices from Austria

    The 35th SUNDANCE Festival (January 24 to February 3) has reveiled its program with 112 long feature films including thrilling voices from Austria: Veronika Franz & Severin Fiala present their first English language movie THE LODGE in the Midnight programm. Richard Ladkani’s SEA OF SHADOWS is part of the World Cinema Documentary Competition.

    New Yorker puts THE WALDHEIM WALTZ on its Best Movies 2018-list

    The New Yorker magazine has selected THE WALDHEIM WALTZ by Ruth Beckermann, Austria’s entry to compete for the Foreign Language Award, among the 40 best movies of the year.

    Nikolaus Geyrhalter’s THE BORDER FENCE competes at IDFA

    The Austrian film year ends with a film about frontiers – on the political agenda, in everyday life, in our minds ... Nikolaus Geyrhalter’s accurate observation THE BORDER FENCE is part of the 31st IDFA main competition. Also screening in Amsterdam: THE WALDHEIM WALTZ by Ruth Beckermann in the Masters selection and Amsterdam Human Rights Award Nominee CHAOS by Sara Fattahi in Best of Fests and Main Focus Program.
    INTERVIEW
    DE – EN

    «At the moment we are working in both worlds.»

    Following the resounding success of their debut feature film Goodnight Mommy, Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala headed off across the Atlantic. Now, after the episode The Trud for The Field Guide to Evil (world premiere at the 2018 South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas) they are back with another full-length feature that aims to scare us out of our wits. THE LODGE was made in association with the British genre institution Hammer Films and will be shown in the Midnight section of the Sundance Festival. A conversation about projects here and there, and the forthcoming remake of Goodnight Mommy.

    CHAOS wins at Mar del Plata

    Sara Fattahi’s CHAOS wins the Altered States competition at the Mar del Plata Film Festival ex-aequo with the film Casanovagen by Luise Donschen.”The director left her native country but took the war with her.”, observes the jury in its particularly accurate statement.

    Tribute to Tizza Covi & Rainer Frimmel at GIJON

    The 56th Festival Internacional de Cine in GIJÒN (November 16 to 24) dedicates a tribute to TIZZA COVI and RAINER FRIMMEL screening MISTER UNIVERSO, THE SHINE OF DAY, LA PIVELLINA, BABOOSKA and honored the filmmakers with the Premio de Honor del Festival at the opening ceremony.

    Sevilla awards Joy for her "masterful interpretation"

    Joy Anwulika Alphonsus wins the Best Actress Award at the Sevilla film festival: „ she carries the film through her captivating, open, honest, intelligent and authentic performance. A masterful interpretation of an indomitable drama." concludes the jury. It’s award n° 6 since the Venice premiere for Sudabeh Mortezai’s JOY shortly after winning the Vienna Film Prize 2018.

    COPS reaps 4 awards at Skopje, Nantes and Braunschweig

    What a crop for COPS by Stefan Lukacs within two festival weekends: Best Screenplay at the Skopje Cinedays Festival of European film, Univerciné Jury Prize + Audience Award at the Nantes Univerciné Allemand Festival, Best Young Actress Award to Anna Suk at the Braunschweig Film Festival.
    INTERVIEW
    DE – EN

    «In a global context, fences don't solve anything.»

    Nikolaus Geyrhalter
    The Austrian government's announcement that it would set up a fence at the Brenner border crossing to ensure refugees didn't stream into the country through Italy prompted Nikolaus Geyrhalter to set off for Tyrol, to capture the creation of this defensive edifice in THE BORDER FENCE.

    JOY all over –
    with major awards in London and Chicago

    Sudabeh Mortezai’s second feature film, recently awarded in Venice, garners major distinctions in LONDON and CHICAGO: Best Film Award at the 62nd BFI London Film Festival ("a provocative and unique film offering a devastating portrait of human resilience in the most inhuman of environments") and Silver Hugo: Special Jury Prize at the 54th Chicago IFF

    DOK Leipzig with THE DAYS AND THE YEAR and a tribute to Ruth Beckermann

    The 61th DOK Leipzig hosts the world premiere of Othmar Schmiderer’s THE DAYS AND THE YEAR and pays tribute to Ruth Beckermann with a special program including early works  as well as the Austrian Oscar entry for Best Foreign Language Film – THE WALDHEIM WALTZ. Ruth Beckermann is also jury member of the Next Masters competition

    L’ANIMALE wins Zurich Focus competition

    Austrian contenders in focus at the Zurich closing ceremony:  L’ANIMALE by Katharina Mückstein took the Best Film award of the Focus Switzerland/Germany/Austria competition. WELCOME TO SODOM by Christian Krönes and Florian Weigensamer returns from the 14th Zurich film festival with a Special Mention of the Focus jury and the Ecumenical Film Award.
    FEATURE

    film comment on JOY: Impressively distilled in plot and style

    Impressively distilled in plot and style, Joy nonetheless explores (but does not untie) a formidable knot of issues around money, migration, motherhood, race, policing, pragmatism, and violence both personal and systemic. Read more of Nick Davis’ thoughts on JOY in film comment.

    ... and further more prizes to Austrian docs

    The JIHLAVA Testimony On Nature-section honors WELCOME TO SODOM as its most outstanding contribution, SAND AND BLOOD receives a Special Mention at the Romanian ASTRA Festival and UTOPIA REVISITED by Kurt Langbein wins the Grande Prémio at CINEECO Festival at Serra da Estrella.
    FEATURE

    THE WALDHEIM WALTZ – "film of the week" by Spiegel.online

    WALDHEIM’S WALTZ by Ruth Beckermann hits the screens in Germany and Switzerland and enchants the critics ...
    FEATURE

    Variety: «formally stunning and politically seething»

    «Schleinzer’s film takes a chillingly but aptly clinical view of a life treated as an amusing human experiment by all but the man living it.»Read more of Variety’s astute review of Markus Schleinzer’s sophomore film ANGELO, released at Toronto and San Sebastián.
    SHORT NEWS

    Busan IFF hosts ANGELO and THE TOBACCONIST

    After acclaimed American and European premieres in Toronto and San Sebastián, Markus Schleinzer's second feature film ANGELO completes a first round across the globe in no less than four weeks. The Busan IFF hosts ANGELO together with Nikolas Leytner's THE TOBACCONIST in its Flash Forward competition.
    INTERVIEW
    DE – EN

    «The star that shines so brightly also illuminates the master it serves.»

    Markus Schleinzer
    Markus Schleinzer’s highly anticipated 2nd feature film has premiered at TIFF. Inspired by the fragmentary nature of the mysterious, extraordinary biography of Angelo Soliman he has created an artistic interplay of light and shadow, projecting thought-provoking impulses on identity and freedom into the present day.
    INTERVIEW
    DE – EN

    «It's a patriarchal instrument of suppression.»

    Eva Spreitzhofer
    Wanda's world seems to be in order. But one day her daughter Nina turns up, her head wrapped in a scarf, declaring that she has converted to Islam. Wanda’s life, her entire moral concept based on tolerance and feminism, is shaken to the core. In her feature film debut WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO DESERVE THIS? Eva Spreitzhofer adopts a witty approach to the absurdities of a social debate which has recently become dominated by religious considerations.
    INTERVIEW
    DE – EN

    «The fate of these people involves us all.»

    Sudabeh Mortezai
    When Nigerian sex workers in Europe manage to pay off their debts and buy their freedom, most of them have one overriding aim: to switch to the side of the pimps. A vicious system of winners and losers features women on both sides. In her second feature film, JOY, Sudabeh Mortezai depicts a relentless cycle where the only real aim is to survive, where morality and solidarity are luxuries that nobody in a system like this can possibly afford.

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