AUSTRIAN FILM COMMISSION

Double triumph for VERA and EISMAYR in Venice

Best Directors Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel, Best Actress Vera Gemma – that’s the awesome verdict of the Orrizonti 2022 jury announced for VERA on the closing night of the 79^th Venice Film Festival.
First time director David Wagner took the IWONDERFULL Grand Prize of the Settimana della Critica for his debut EISMAYER.

Austrian films at international festivals

Participations September 2022

VERA by Tizza Covi & Rainer Frimmel is invited to the Orizzonti Competition
EISMAYER, directorial debut by David Wagner, is part of the Settimana della Critca selection

Ulrich Seidl’s SPARTA in competition for Golden Shell

The 70^th San Sebastián IFF (September 16 to 24) has unveiled its competiton line-up including Ulrich Seidl’s SPARTA in the Golden Shell competition. SPARTA, with Austrian actor Georg Friedrich in the lead, completes Ulrich Seidl’s brother diptych; its first part RIMINI was a Golden Bear contender earlier this year.

SARAJEVO 2022 with 3 Austrian films in competition

Marie Kreutzer’s CORSAGE and Ruth Mader’s SERVIAM – I WILL SERVE, both released at top festivals this spring and summer, will also be vying for the Heart of Sarajevo. Thomas Fürhapter’s LIVING TOGETHER is a contender in the Documentary competion. Ulrich Seid’s Golden Bear entry RIMINI will be presented In Focus.

Locarno 2022: Ruth Mader and Nikolaus Geyrhalter vying for Golden Leopard

Two strong Austrian voices are to present their highly anticipated new films:
MATTER OUT OF PLACE by Nikolaus Geyrhalter who provides stunning observations on waste on a global scale
SERVIAM – I WILL SERVE by Ruth Mader who tackles the question of faith in her thriller set in an all-girl Catholic boarding school

Both films are contenders of the Pardo d’oro International Competition

KARLOVY VARY 2022
with eight films
made in Austria

Discover the fabulous Austrian presence at the 56th KARLOVY VARY IFF (July 1 to 9, 2022) kviff, with no less than seven feature length and one short film on the screens. A line-up including Leni Lauritsch’ Sci-Fi directorial debut RUBIKON that will make its first festival appearance between two major releases in the US and UK.

Tribeca 2022 with newcomers Clara Stern and Peter Hengl

Two Austrian directorial debuts are celebrating their world premiere at the Tribeca Festival 2022 (June 8 to 19): Clara Stern's BREAKING THE ICE in Viewpoints and Peter Hengl's FAMILY DINNER in Midnight:

inaugurating the start of a promising career.
Cineuropa on BREAKING THE ICE

Another moody and unsettling Austrian chiller
indiewire on FAMILY DINNER

LUX Audience Award goes to QUO VADIS, AIDA?

Jasmila Žbanić' harrowing drama based on the tragedy of Srebrenica in July 1995 is the winner of the 2022 LUX European Audience Film Award. QUO VADIS, AIDA? – a European co-production including nine countries – was co-produced by Vienna-based coop99 filmprodution with a major financial and creative input from Austria. Cannes-winner GREAT FREEDOM by Sebastian Meise was also among the three films selected for the final run of the LUX audience Award.

Un Certain Regard:
Best Performance Prize to
Vicky Krieps

Marie Kreutzer and her terrific leading actress Vicky Krieps have set Cannes abuzz. Vicky Krieps wins the Un Certain Regard BEST PERFORMANCE Prize for her outstanding work in the role Elisabeth from Austria in Marie Kreutzer’s CORSAGE. The filmwas also awarded for Best Creative Sound Design.

CORSAGE: rave reviews from the Croisette

A playful and puckish portrait by Marie Kreutzer
Screen Daily

a standout
Variety

Krieps gives an exhilaratingly fierce, uningratiating performance.
The Guardian

Austrian films @Cannes 2022

Un Certain Regard:
CORSAGE by Marie Kreutzer.
May 20 | 11:00 | Debussy

Producers on the Move:
JOHANNES SCHUBERT
May 19 – 23

Marché du Film – Frontières:
REQUIEM FOR A ROBOT by Chris Rainer
Proof of Concept on May 21

Marie Kreutzer’s CORSAGE at Cannes

We’re so thrilled that Marie Kreutzer’s film is part of the prestigious Cannes Sélection Officielle and celebrates its world premiere at Un Certain Regard. CORSAGE, starring Vicky Krieps in the role of Austrian empress Elisabeth, was produced by Austrian Film AG in co-production with Samsa Film (LUX), Komplizen Film (D) and Kazak Productions (F). International sales are handled by: MK2

Strong Austrian line-up at DOK.fest MUNICH

We are pleased that Austrian documentary film is present at DOK Munich this year in all its rich diversity: SECOND THOUGHTS FIRST by Marko Doringer celebrates its world premiere at DOK:panorama, ALICE SCHWARZER by Sabine Derflinger and LIVING TOGETHER by Thomas Fürhapter their international premieres in DOK.Deutsch. Also screening: ALPENLAND by Robert Schabus (Münchner Premieren), FOR THE MANY by Constantin Wulff (Best of Fests) and SOLDAT AHMET by Jannis Lenz (DOK.international).

BREAKING THE ICE and FAMILY DINNER at Tribeca

Great news from NYC: Two Austrian directorial debuts will enter the festival scene at the Tribeca Film Festival (June 8 to 19): BREAKING THE ICE by Clara Stern in Viewpoints, Peter Hengl’s FAMILY DINNER has been selected a Midnight entry.

GREAT FREEDOM and QUO VADIS, AIDA nominated for LUX Audience Award

Two out of three films selected for the LUX Audience Award 2022 are Austrian co-productions: GREAT FREEDOM by Sebastian Meise and QUO VADIS, AIDA by Jasmila Žbanić. The prize established by the European Parliament as a sign for its commitment to culture is an international audience award. Film lovers from all over Europe are invited until May 25 to vote for their favourite.

Two major Berlinale awards to SONNE and MUTZENBACHER

We’re full of pride and joy: Kurdwin Ayub’s directorial debut SONNE wins the GFF Best First Feature Award. This films stands out among 18 first features selected throughout the different Berlinale sections, the prize is endowed with € 50,000.
Ruth Beckermann is once again a Berlinale laureate. The winner of the Berlinale Documentary Award 2018, takes the Best Film Award at the Encounters competition for her new documentary MUTZENBACHER.

Austrian films @Berlinale 2022

Golden Bear Competition: RIMINI by Ulrich Seidl, Feb 11 | 22:00 | Berlinale Palast
Encounters:
A LITTLE LOVE PACKAGE by Gastón Solnicki, Feb 14 | 18:00 | CinemaxX 7
MUTZENBACHER by Ruth Beckermann,
Feb 13 | 18:00 | CinemaxX 7
SONNE by Kurdwin Ayub, Feb 12 | 21:30 | CinemaxX 7
Forum: FOR THE MANY – THE VIENNA CHAMBER OF LABOUR by Constantin Wulff Feb 11| 17:30 | Delphi

Five world premieres at the 72^nd Berlinale

Five Austrian Films celebrated their worldpremiere, respectively in the Golden Bear competition, the Encounters competition and the Forum: RIMINI by Ulrich Seidl, SONNE by Kurdwin Ayub, MUTZENBACHER by Ruth Beckermann, A LITTLE LOVE PACKAGE by Gastón Solnicki, FOR THE MANY by Constantin Wulff.

Directors and teams met the audience in cinemas and earned remarkable reviews by the international press. We've got an overview on this website

MUTZENBACHER and FOR THE MANY nominated for Berlinale Documentary Award

The two Austrian documentary entries at the 72nd Berlinale – MUTZENBACHER by Ruth Beckermann (Encounters) and FOR THE MANY – THE VIENNA CHAMBER OF LABOUR by Constantin Wulff (Forum) are among the 18 documentaries selected across all sections for the prestigious documentary award. With her prior documentary WALDHEIM’S WALTZ Ruth Beckermann won the Berlinale Documentary Award already in 2018.

MONEYBOYS sweeps three awards at the MOP festival Saarbrücken

Max Ophüls Prize for Best Feature Film and Best Screenplay as well as the Prize of the ecumenical jury. That's the awesome outcome for C.B. Yi's feature debut MONEYBOYS at the 43^rd Max Ophüls Prize festival Saarbrücken. "MONEYBOYS is an existential, queer and at the same time universal film about love."

GREAT FREEDOM on Oscar shortlist

The Academy Awards have revealed a first pre-selection for Best International Feature Film at the 2022 Oscars. Austria’s entry GREAT FREEDOM by Sebastian Meise is one of the contenders on this year’s shortlist for Best International Feature Film featuring 15 films in total.

Thrilling results at European Film Awards 2021

To the wonderful outcome for Sebastian Meise's GREAT FREEDOM – European Cinematographer, European Original Score, nominations for European Actor and University Award adds the thrilling news that QUO VADIS, AIDA? by Jasmila Žbanić, strongly supported by Vienna-based coop99 filmproduktion, Austrian funding and creative input from Austrian artists took three major awards: European Film 2021 · European Director Jasmila Žbanić · European Actress Jasna Ðurčić.

European Film Awards 2021: Two Excellence Awards for GREAT FREEDOM

The European Film Academy has announced the Excellence Awards 2021, two of them went to outstanding artists who were part of the GREAT FREEDOM team: Crystel Fournier wins European Cinematography, Nils Petter & Peter Brötzmann European Original Score. On top of that, Sebastian Meise’s film is nominated for European for Best Actor (Franz Rogowski) and European University Film Award. Also in the race is the European co-production QUO VADIS, AIDA by Jasmila Žbanić, co-produced by Vienna-based coop99 filmproduktion, with nominations in four categories.

MONEYBOYS wins two awards at Cineuropa Compostela

MONEYBOYS director C.B. Yi takes the Best Director Award at the Cineuropa Compostela festival for an outstanding film that represents homosexuality with great sensitivity and warmth. And on top of that, the new jury honored the Cannes-entry with its Best Film award for its brilliant aesthetic, playful images that show us a cruel and marginal reality, in which one tries to survive without losing dignity.

Chéries Cheris Paris honors GREAT FREEDOM

The closing night of the Chéries Chéris festival was completely under the sign of films from Austria: Serial winner GREAT FREEDOM by Sebastian Meise took the Gran Prix and the screening of MONEYBOYS by C.B. Yi brought the hip Paris LGBTQI festival to a close. Evi Romen's feature debut WHY NOT YOU was also part of the Cheries Cheris line-up.

MONEYBOYS: Awards from Spain to Hawaii

It is a wonderful sign of how young Austrian filmmaking is radiating around the world: C.B. Yi's powerful feature debut MONEYBOYS (a Cannes Un Certain Regard entry in 2021) took two awards on a single weekend: one in Spain, the other one in Hawaii. MONEYBOYS is the winner of the Rambal Award at the Gijón Film Festival and receives an Honorable Mention in the competition for emerging directors at the Hawaii film festival.

Tallinn DDA Spotlight Award to GREAT FREEDOM

It's award n° 10 on top of numerous nominations for prestigious prizes to come. Sebastian Meise's widely acclaimed drama GREAT FREEDOM won the DDA Spotlight Award at the 25^th Tallinn Black Nights Festival

Sitges Fantastic Film Festival: Double win for LUZIFER

The Sitges Fantastic Film Festival (oct. 7-17) honors the two leading actors of Peter Brunner's LUZIFER: Susanne Jensen and Frank Rogowski won the awards for Best Female Performance and Best Male Performance at one of the world's foremost fantasy and horror film festivals.

Young Audience Award to FOX IN A HOLE

The Youth Jury of the 17^th Augenblick Festival in Strasbourg picked Arman T. Riahi's drama set in a juvenile detention center as its favourite. With this Young Audience Award FOX IN A HOLE resumes its successful festival itinerary more than one year after its world premiere.

MONEYBOYS: Best Film at LesGaiCineMadrid

C.B. Yi feature debut MONEYBOYS stands out as Best Film at the 26^th LesGaiCineMad, the international LGBT festival in Madrid. The jury stated, An impeccable proposal that manages to combine raw realism with visual poetics that reveals a firm narrative pulse.

HINTERLAND: Best Screenplay at Fancine FF Málaga

The Fancine Fantastic Film Festival of the University of Málaga awards HINTERLAND with the prize for Best Screenplay. The hunt for an obsessed serial killer set in a desolate Vienna a couple of years after the end of WW1 was written by Hanno Pinter and Robert Buchschwenter in collaboration with the film's director Stefan Ruzowitzky.

GREAT FREEDOM: Best Feature Film at Zagreb IFF

The jury of the Zagreb IFF awards Sebastian Meise's EFA nominee GREAT FREEDOM as Best Feature Film, stating the following: Through the language of cinema, this movie expresses the ability of the human spirit to transcend physical confinement. The film asks the question “what freedom is and can we create our own”. The two unlikely heroes show us how to find love even in the worst moments of our recent history.

FOX IN A HOLE sweeps four awards on one weekend

Arman T. Riahi's vibrant drama set in a juvenile detention center won the Golden Beaver for Best Film and the Special Prize for Best Film Music at the Biberach IFF. On top of that, the German Günter Rohrbach-Foundation honored leading actress Maria Hofstätter as Best Actress and FOX IN A HOLE- director Arman T. Riahii with the Saarland Medien GmbH Award.

Honorable Mention to MONEYBOYS

The feature debut and Cannes Un Certain Regard-entry MONEYBOYS by C.B. Yi receives an honorable mention at the Bergen International Film Festival (October 20 to 28).

Two Audience Awards to GREAT FREEDOM

European Film Award nominee GREAT FREEDOM was the Audience favourite at the Queerstreifen Film Festival Regensburg as well as at Biberach International Film Festival.

Hofer Filmtage 2021: International premiere of ANOTHER COIN FOR THE MERRY-GO-ROUND

Hannes Starz’ feature debut ANOTHER COIN FOR THE MERRY-GO-ROUND starring Valerie Pachner and Voodoo Jürgens celebrates its international premiere at the 55th Internationale Filmtage Hof. Also screening at the Hof festival: SARGNAGEL – DER FILM by Sabine Hiebler & Gerhard Ertl and the short films EVEN DEATH IN MY ARMS IS BEAUTIFUL by Jannis Lenz and Paul Poet’s short doc on Christoph Schlingensief ATTABAMBI SCHEISSMICHAN.

Oscars 2022: GREAT FREEDOM is the Austrian candidate for Best International Feature Film

The Cannes winner (Jury Prize Un Certain Regard) GREAT FREEDOM by Sebastian Meise has been selected to enter the 2022 Oscar race for Best International Feature Film. Since its world premiere at Cannes the film has been collecting award after award on a dense festival circuit. It is part of the pre-selection for the European Film Award 2021 and will be released in the US by MUBI in early 2022.

BREAD wins Pelicam Audience Award

Harald Friedl's documentary BREAD, produced by Navigatorfilm, wins the Audience Award at the 10^th Pelicam International Environmental Film Festival in Romania.

Fantastic Fest 2021: Franz Rogowski awarded Best Actor

The most renowned US genre film festival in Austin/Texas, the Fantastic Fest (Sept 23 to 30) has bestowed the Best Actor Award on Franz Rogowski for his outstanding performances in two competition entries: LUZIFER by Peter Brunner and FREAKS OUT by Gabriele Mainetti. In LUZIFER Rogowski plays a young man, barely mastering the spoken word, who lives in the mountains closely tied to his mother and in a very tight relationship to nature.

World premiere of CHASING THE LINE at Zurich Film Festival

Franz Klammer’s historic Olympic downhill race of 1976 revived on the big screen: a gala night will be dedicated to the world premiere of Andreas Schmied’s vibrant CHASING THE LINE at the 17^th ZFF. Another gala screening for Annecy entry WELCOME TO SIEGHEILKIRCHEN and two contenders to the Fokus competition – GREAT FREEDOM and ROOM WITHOUT A VIEW – add to a strong Austrian presence at this year’s Zurich Film Festival (Sept 23 to Oct. 3)

GREAT FREEDOM wins three awards at Valenciennes

It's harvest time: Sebastian Meise's GREAT FREEDOM returns from the Valenciennes Film Festival (September 24 to 29) with no less than three awards: Grand Prix, Best Actor Award to Franz Rogowski and a Special Mention from the critics jury.

GREAT FREEDOM and QUO VADIS, AIDA? recommended for EFA

Widely acclaimed by festivals and press, Sebastian Meise’s GREAT FREEDOM and
Jasmila Zbanic’s QUO VADIS AIDA have entered the race for the European Film Award 2021: 4000 members of the European Film Academy are now invited to vote among 53 entries for the nominations in the following categories: European film, director, screenwriter, actress and actor. Nominations will be announced on November 9, 2021.

Austrian films sweep 3 awards at SCHWERIN Filmkunstfest

A remarkable closing ceremony for Austrian filmmakers at the Filmkunstfest Mecklenburg Vorpommern in the German town of Schwerin with no less than three awards: David Clay Diaz garnered the Flying Ox Award for best feature film for his directorial debut ME, WE Arash T. Riahi followed with the LEO Children & Youth Film Award for OSKAR & LILLI and Hubert Sauper’s EPICENTRO took the prize for Best Cinematography.

DACHS Screenplay Award to FOX IN A HOLE

Arman T. Riahi, the director and screenwriter of FOX IN A HOLE has been honored with this year's DACHS Screenplay Award of the Five Lakes Film Festival. The prize, endowed with 3,000 euros, is awarded each year to the author of a current feature film from Germany, Austria, Switzerland or South Tyrol (DACHS). This screenplay is: dense, touching, strong, demanding, quirky, but also arouses curiosity, stated the jury.

Deutscher Schauspielpreis to Maria Hofstätter

The German Actors Association gave away their annual awards in acknowledgement of outstanding acting performances in film and television. In the category Best Actress in a leading part, Austrian actress Maria Hofstätter receives the Deutscher Schauspielpreis 2021 for her role as the unconventional prison teacher Elisabeth Berger in Arman T. Riahi’s FOX IN A HOLE.

LUZIFER wins Boccalino d’oro

Peter Brunner’s new film LUZIFER wins the Boccalino d’oro for Best Director at the 74^th Locarno Film Festival. The Boccalino d’oro is an award given away by the Independent Critics Jury in five categories. LUZIFER starring Franz Rogowski and Susanne Jensen was produced by Vienna-based Ulrich Seidl Film Production.

HINTERLAND wins Piazza Grande Audience Award

Stefan Ruzowitzky’s gripping thriller set in Vienna in the aftermath of WW 1 has struck the largest jury of all.The latest work of the Austrian Oscar-winning director took the Prix du public UBS. After a triumphant Piazza Grande premiere, the picture is sure to make a name for itself among cinephiles and genre enthusiasts on an international scale, thanks to excellent performances, tight editing, and Benedict Neuenfels’ stunning cinematography, which gives the film an unnatural sheen while simultaneously highlighting the stark reality of a war-torn country for 99 very tense minutes. Max Borg, www.pardo.com

GREAT FREEDOM wins three awards at Sarajevo

The Sarajevo Heart beats in favor of GREAT FREEDOM: The Cannes winner (Jury Award Un Certain Regard) directed by Sebastian Meise, produced by FreibeuterFilm returns from the 27^th Sarajevo Film Festival with no less than three awards in its pockets:

Heart of Sarajevo for Best Feature Film
Heart of Sarajevo for Best Actor Georg Friedrich
CICAE Arthouse Cinema Award

Andreas Horvath is mentor of the efp Future Frames session 2021

Austrian director Andreas Horvath is this year’s mentor at the efp Future Frames meeting for young talents at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. The director of Lilian (Cannes, Director’s Fortnight 2019), Earth’s Golden Playground and This Ain’t No Heartland will hold a master class and give insight into his cinematic approach and visual language.

KARINA RESSLER is member of the Locarno First Film Jury

As an important place for young talent and discoveries, every year the Locarno Film Festival invites a jury composed of three personalities from the world of cinema to award the best first films presented as international or world premieres in all the sections (except Semaine de la Critique and Panorama Suisse).This year it's up to Austrian editor Karina Ressler, director and producer Amjad Abu Alala and filmmaker Katharina Wyss to judge the first time entries at the Locarno festvial.

GREAT FREEDOM wins Jury Prize at Un Certain Regard

Sebastian Meise returns from Cannes with one of the top awards of the Un Certain Regard section. The jury under the presidency of Andrea Arnold awarded Sebastian Meise’s captivating drama GREAT FREEDOM with the Jury Prize. This second feature film starring Franz Rogowski and Georg Friedrich, produced by Austrian FreibeuterFilm and German Rohfilm Productions, was one of 20 contenders in a line-up that refocused on the discovery of emerging filmmakers this year.

THR on GREAT FREEDOM: «Stark, shocking and beautiful.»

The Hollywood Reporter critic David Rooney wrote, Chronicling an ignominious chapter in queer history, Great Freedom is also a contemplative psychological study of the effects of incarceration, and beyond that, an unconventional love story, tender but unsentimental. read more

LOCARNO 2021 with new films from Stefan Ruzowitzky and Peter Brunner

The 74^th Locarno Festival (August 4 to 14) has announced its selection that includes two new films from Austria. Stefan Ruzowitzky will present HINTERLAND on the Piazza Grande, Peter Brunner’s LUZIFER is a contender in the main competition for the Pardo d’oro 2021. The Swiss, German and Austrian co-production MONTE VERITÀ will also celebrate its world premiere on the Piazza Grande.

MUBI signs multi-territory deal for GREAT FREEDOM

Streamer and theatrical distributor MUBI has signed a multi-territory deal for Sebastian Meise’s second feature GREAT FREEDOM, which premiered in Cannes' Un Certain Regard. The deal closed with sales outfit The Match Factory covers North America, UK, Ireland, LATAM (excluding Mexico), Turkey and India.

JESSICA HAUSNER is part of the jury of the 74^thCANNES festival

Together with jury president Spike Lee, five women and 3 men of seven nationalities, coming from five continents, will judge the 24 films of the 2021 international Competition and award the PALME D’OR 2021.

Cannes 2021: GREAT FREEDOM and MONEYBOYS at Un Certain Regard

The Cannes Festival – this year scheduled for a summer edition from July 6 to 17 – has announced its Official Selection 2021: We are thrilled to announce that two Austrian co-productions will be part of the Un Certain Regard selection 2021: GREAT FREEDOM by Sebastian Meise and MONEYBOYS by C. B. Yi.
Lukas Valenta Rinner’s new project LANDSCAPES OF FEAR is invited to the Cinéfondation’s L’Atelier, Magdalena Lauritsch’s (not yet finished) debut RUBIKON is one of the seven genre films picked for the Frontières Buyers Showcase at the Marché du Film.

SNOTTY BOY, the first Austrian feature-length animation film, premieres at Annecy

It's an absolute first: SNOTTY BOY, inspired by characters created by late Austrian caricaturist Manfred Deix, is the first feature length animation film produced with an Austrian funding majority. Which makes us all the more proud to announce that SNOTTY BOY has been selected to celebrate its world premiere in the main competition of the top-notch festival for animated films the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

Anne Laurent-Delage to be new Executive Director of the AFC

The board of the Austrian Film Commission has resolved unanimously that the Deputy Director of the AFC, Anne Laurent-Delage, who has been responsible for international relations for many years, will take the position of Executive Director from 1 July 2021.

LILLIAN wins Best Film Award at Padova

Andreas Horvath's intriguing road-movie LILLIAN entered the festival circuit at the Cannes Directors' Fortnight in 2019 and keeps on travelling. The 8^th Detour Film Festival in the Italian city of Padova honored LILLIAN with its Best Film Award, pointing out that the film is a pure cinematic experience, a fascinating and radical cinematic and existential journey that pushes the viewer to revise their physical and conceptual maps.

Deutscher Kamerapreis to Christine A. Maier

Austrian DoP Christine A. Maier wins the Deutscher Kamerapreis in the category fiction film for her outstanding work in Jasmila Žbanić’ Oscar nominated QUO VADIS, AIDA? Christine A. Maier's camera moves with the action, it races, pauses (…), opens spaces, looks, looks away, it captures emotions and creates understanding and comprehension, stated the jury.

THE TROUBLE WITH BEING BORN awarded at Fantasporto

Sandra Wollner’s second feature film, THE TROUBLE WITH BEING BORN, launched at the Berlinale Encounters 2020, wins the Special Award of the Jury at the 41^st Fantasporto Film Festival. This is the first time a woman wins one of the top fantasy awards of the festival.

World premiere of A CLOWN, A LIFE at DOK.fest Munich

Harald Aue’s portrait of Bernhard Paul and his Circus Roncalli, is also a homage to the poetic art of clowning. A CLOWN, A LIFE has its world premiere in the DOK.panorama section of the 2021 DOKfest Munich online edition (May 5 to 23). WOOD by Monika Lăzurean-Gorgan, Michaela Kirst, Ebba Sinzinger will be screening at DOK.focus Empowerment. See full list of Austrian (co-)productions at Munich.

PLEASE HOLD THE LINE wins FIPRESCI Prize

Pavel Cuzuioc’s second feature documentary pointed out by the film critics: PLEASE HOLD THE LINE wins the FIPRESCI Prize at the goEAST Festival of Central and Eastern European Film. “The film shows”, stated the jury, “intense human relationships that normally appear to be simple everyday interactions.”

Independent Spirit Award to QUO VADIS, AIDA?

Jasmila Žbanić QUO VADIS, AIDA? picked up the Independent Spirit Award in the Best International Film category. The annual Independent Spirit Awards ceremony traditionally held shortly before the Oscars, honors outstanding achievements in independent filmmaking. QUO VADIS, AIDA?, one of the five 2021 Oscar nominees for Best International Feature Film, was co-produced by Vienna-based coop99 filmproduktion.

52^ndVisions du Réel with world premieres of SOLDIER AHMET and THE BUBBLE

The 52^ndVisions du Réel Festival at the Swiss town of Nyon kicks off its second “Corona” edition offering a hybrid festival format from April 15 to 25, 2021. Two Austrian (co-)productions are to celebrate their world premiere: Jannis Lenz presents his first feature SOLDIER AHMET within the Burning Lights Competition, the Swiss-Austrian co-production THE BUBBLE by Austrian director Valerie Blankenbyl is a contender in the International Competition.

WHY NOT YOU and SPACE DOGS are the Bolzano winners

Two Austrian winners at the 34th Bolzano online Film Festival: Evi Romen’s WHY NOT YOU takes the Prize for Best Feature Film “for its courageous approach to the story of an outsider” and the terrific performance of its lead actor. The Prize for Best Documentary went to Elsa Kremser and Levin Peter’s SPACE DOGS, “a powerful film”, as the jury puts it, “about the absurdity and cruelty of human action and about innocence, tenderness and the natural brutality of animals”

QUO VADIS AIDA? nominated for Best International Feature Film

The Oscar race enters its last round, the nominations are out: QUO VADIS AIDA? by Jasmila Žbanić is nominated for Best International Feature Film. QUO VADIS AIDA? was co-produced by coop99 filmproduction. On top of the financial support, Austrian artists provided a major creative input with Christine A. Maier (DoP), Hannes Salat (production design), Michaela Payer (make-up/hair designer), Thomas Hollaus (gaffer), Edita Malovcic in the role of Vesna and many more.

Austrian films at the EFM online

The BERLINALE Industry Event 2021 gathers film professionals around the world online and opens its virtual European Film Market.
Eight Austrian films are booked on EFM screens: AUSTRIA2AUSTRALIA by Andreas Buciuman, Dominik Bochis |DAVOS by Daniel Hoesl, Julia Niemann | FOX IN A HOLE by Arman T. Riahi | GLORY TO THE QUEEN by Tatia Skhirtladze, Anna Khazaradze | PLEASE HOLD THE LINE by Pavel Cuzuioc | RISKS AND SIDE EFFECTS by Michael Kreihsl | THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE ON EARTH by Elke Groen | WHY NOT YOU by Evi Romen

Goodbye, Peter Patzak

We are deeply sad to learn that Austrian filmmaker and painter Peter Patzak has passed away. Peter Patzak (1945-2021) made Austrian TV history by creating the legendary satirical crime series Kottan ermittelt (1976-84) together with author Helmut Zenker. He was a prolific director working for both TV and cinema, first achieving international acclaim with Kassbach at the Berlinale 1979. From 1993 to 2003 he also was professor of Directing at the Film Academy Vienna.

Screenings@EFM 2021

The Industry Event of the 71^stBerlinale is taking place from March 1 to 5, 2021. Eight Austrian films are available in the virtual cinemas of the European Film Market: AUSTRIA2AUSTRALIA · DAVOS · FOX IN A HOLE · GLORY TO THE QUEEN · PLEASE HOLD THE LINE · RISKS AND SIDE EFFECTS · THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE ON EARTH · WHY NOT YOU
See screening dates

THE TROUBLE WITH BEING BORN awarded at the Boston Sci-Fi FF

One year after its Berlinale world premiere, Sandra Wollner's THE TROUBLE WITH BEING BORN is still successfully travelling around the world: THE TROUBLE WITH BEING BORN won the Festival Director Award at the Annual Boston Sci-Fi Festival.

OSKAR & LILLI and MADISON awarded at FIFEM Montréal

The Festival international du film pour enfants de MONTRÉAL thrilled by stories from Austria: OSKAR & LILLI by Arash T. Riahi wins the Prix INIS and the Prize for Best Feature Length Film awarded by the children’s jury. The Special Mention from the young festival jury went to MADISON by Kim Strobl.

FOX IN A HOLE wins three awards at MOP Saarbrücken

Arman T. Riahi triumphs at the 42^ndMax Ophüls Prize Festival, reaping three major awards for his second fiction feature FOX IN A HOLE:

MOP for Best Director
MOP for Best Screenplay and the
Prize of the Youth Jury

We were angry. We were annoyed. We were happy. Cold, expressive images make us empathize, stated the Youth Jury.

42^ndMax-Ophüls-Prize festival launches online edition

From January 17 to 24 the 42^nd Max-Ophüls Prize Festival puts the spotlight on young German language cinema. Daniel Hoesl and Julia Niemann’s documentary DAVOS and Arman T. Riahi’s fiction feature FOX IN A HOLE will be vying for the Max Ophüls Prize in the respective competition sections. Luna Jordan as Samira in FOX IN A HOLE is nominated for the Best Acting Talent Award.

Šumadija Audience Award to RUNNING ON EMPTY

The last festival award of the year 2020 garnered by an Austrian film production went to Lisa Weber’s documentary RUNNING ON EMPTY. Her acclaimed second feature film won the Audience Award at the Šumadija International Film Festival in Serbia.

IDFA 2020 with Masters and Best of Fests from Austria

The prestigious Amsterdam documentary platform has conceived an online/on-site festival for its 33rd edition from Nov 18 to Dec 6. The IDFA Masters and Best of Fests selections include Hubert Sauper’s EPICENTRO, Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel’s Berlinale award winner NOTES FROM THE UNDERWORLD and Pavel Cuzuioc’s PLEASE HOLD THE LINE; two co-productions will also be on the festival screens: ONCE UPON A TIME IN VENEZUELA and LOVE, IT WAS NOT.

LILLIAN: Best Film at the 38th Uruguay IFF

“Lillian’s journey is a silent road movie that captivates by its striking beauty and reminds us of the migratory nature of the human being”, stated the jury that selected Andreas Horvath’s LILLIAN as the Best Film of the 38^th Festival Cinematográfico Internacional del Uruguay.

Gijón awards NOTES FROM THE UNDERWORLD

Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel's black-&white journey into the Vienna's gangster milieu of the late 1960s won the Special Jury Award of the Albar Competition at the GIJÓN International Film Festival.

SPACE DOGS wins at the IsReal and the Zagreb Subversive Festival

The IsReal – Festival di Cinema del Reale at the Italian town of Nuoro honors Elsa Kremser and Levin Peter’s feature debut with its First Prize, highlighting the “the courage, originality and intelligence interwoven in the work of the directors”. On top of that, SPACE DOGS took the Wild Dreamer Award for the best documentary at the Zagreb Subversive Festival.

Special Distinction to THE TROUBLE WITH BEING BORN

The 20^th New Horizons festival at Wroclaw honors Sandra Wollner’s main competition entry THE TROUBLE WITH BEING BORN with a Special Distinction.

OSKAR & LILLI: Best Feature Film at the Olympia Film Festival

The Greek IFF for Children and Young People awards Arash T. Riahi's moving feature about two young refugees in Vienna searching to reconnect with their mother with its main prize. This is the tenth international distinction for Arash T. Riahi’s feature since its world premiere at the MOP Festival Saarbrücken earlier this year.

Festival L’Europe autour de L’Europe: two main prizes to films from Austria

The Paris-based festival L’EUROPE AUTOUR DE L’EUROPE awarded two of its three main prizes to films from Austria: The Prix Sauvage to DIE KINDER DER TOTEN by Kelly Copper and Pavol Liška, the Prix Présent to WELCOME TO SODOM by Florian Weigensamer and Christian Krönes

Double prize to OSKAR & LILLI at Zagreb KinoKino festival

Unanimous consent among the younger and the older audience of the KinoKino Festival in Zagreb: OSKAR & LILLI by Arash T. Riahi wins the Audience Award as well as the Children Jury Award. So far, the film has garnered no fewer than eight international awards.

Duisburger Filmwoche honors Lisa Weber with Young Talent Award

Lisa Weber, director of the Berlinale Panorma entry RUNNING ON EMPTY garners the Carte Blanche – Young Talent Award of the State NRW, that comes with a prize money of € 5,000 and the possibility of developing the next project with the mentorship of an experienced filmmaker. The film impressively succeeds in depicting the statics of social dynamics, pointed out the Duisburger Filmwoche jury intending to encourage the filmmaker to continue on the path she’s taken.

Audience Award to GLORY OF THE QUEEN

Tatia Skhirtladze and Anna Khazaradze’s documentary about four legendary female chess players from Georgia who revolutionized women’s chess across the globe is the Audience Award winner of the Free Zone Film Festival – Slobodna Zona that took place at Belgrade, Novi Sad and Niš (November 5 to 10, 2020).

Filem’On Teen Screen Award to OSKAR & LILI

The TEEN SCREEN AWARD of the Brussels Filem’On IFF for Young Audiences went to Arash T. Riahi’s OSKAR & LILLI. The young jury accounts for its choice: "The best film had the best camera work and the choice of actors made the film experience very real. The movie portrayed themes like deportation and foster families beautifully. Even though it touched upon heavy themes it still had it’ pleasant moments. It was a close call with another movie but we still choose this one."

THE FEVER by Katharina Weingartner awarded Best Film at the BIFED IFF

"THE FEVER portrays with craftmanship and excellent filmmaking skills a pressing and relevant issue that affects and kills hundreds of thousand women and men and children every year ..., stated the jury of the Fethi Kayaalp Grand Awardassigned to film director Katharina Weingartner at the BIFED International Film Festival for Ecological Documentary on the Turkish island of Bozcaada. Read full the statement

AUSTRIAN FILMS 2021
Coming soon

We invite you to take a look at what is getting ready to hit the screens:
Prepare for wicked games and barking men, discover the home front and a Jewish life, and find out more about dreaming dogs. You may bump into moneyboys, snotty boys, or Lucifer and even cross the Rubicon. 2021 will take us out of the standstill, towards great freedom and into the sun. There will be something for all tastes and moods.

World premiere of FOX IN A HOLE by Arman T. Riahi at the Warsaw FF

Inspired by an outstanding teacher in a Viennese prison, Arman T. Riahi developed FOX IN A HOLE, the story of adolescents who have come into conflict with the law, a system that locks them up in order to make them better citizens and two idealists committed to open up doors into their future. FOX IN A HOLE is starring Aleksandar Petrović, Maria Hofstätter, Luna Jordan, Sibel Kekilli, and Andreas Lust.

THE TROUBLE WITH BEING BORN is the Cinema Extraordinaire-winner at Bergen

“A thought-provoking and controversial sci-fi fable from a new Austrian talent”, noted the jury. THE TROUBLE WITH BEING BORN, Sandra Wollner’s directorial debut, launched at the Berlinale Encounters, earlier this year is the winner of the Cinema Extraordinaire competition at the Bergen International Film Festival.

Evi Romen’s WHY NOT YOU is one of the Zurich Golden Eye Award winners 2020

Evi Romen’s directorial debut WHY NOT YOU wins the Golden Eye Award of the Focus Competition of the 16th ZURICH Film Festival."With its variety of themes WHY NOT YOU takes a risk that the main actor Thomas Prenn knows how to master at every point.”, stated the jury. A Special Mention went to the documentary WOOD by Monica Lazurean-Gorgan, Michaela Kirst and Ebba Sinzinger.

World premiere of
WHY NOT YOU
by Evi Romen
at the Zurich FF

An old village in the Alps is the setting for this first time feature – the story of a young man, Mario, who seems completely out of place. Long time editor and writer, Evi Romen, is presenting her directorial debut at the Fokus Competition of the Zurich Film Festival. WHY NOT YOU produced by AMOUR FOU Vienna is starring Thomas Prenn, Noah Saavedra, Josef Mohamed, Ursula Scribano-Ofner.

Two Best Film awards to LILLIAN

Andreas Horvath’s "de-accelerated" road-movie is still on the road, garnering Best Feature Awards: LILLIAN won the Best Narrative Feature award at the Dumbo Film Festival in NYC and the Rand Award at the Kassel Randfilmfestival.

THE TROUBLE WITH BEING BORN wins First Step Award

Sandra Wollner’s directorial debut, produced by Panama Film wins the FIRST STEP AWARD for Best Feature Length Film. “The director has succeeded in creating a very unique, unsettling, but also sensitive film, which inevitably confronts us with the great questions of human existence”, stated the jury.