The main problem of a film like Ghosthunters – On icy Trails, directed by Tobi Baumann, is precisely this: the fact that, as we approach the finale, it becomes pathetic, with overly unnatural dialogues that complete a script that, after many, many preambles, finds a so simple solution as to be dangerously hasty and decidedly slapdash.
The exhibition ‘Special Effects – Die Interaktive Ausstellung für Filmfans’ (‘Special Effects – The Interactive Exhibition for Film Fans’) – in Vienna from the 18th of October 2019 to the 5th of July 2020 – does not only aim to make people see and experience various film techniques up close, but above all to make visitors of all ages critical and active spectators.
In just five minutes, Maria Lassnig has managed to represent her complete poetics in her Selfportrait, making a short film that rightfully ranks as one of her most intimate, personal and representative works, with an interesting and essential stop-motion animation.
Inspired by a story that really happened in the 1920s, that of a young Russian girl – Lillian Alling, in fact – who attempted to return to Russia on foot directly from New York, Lillian – directed by Andreas Horvath and produced by Ulrich Seidl – is actually a magnetic, painful, but also exciting and fascinating film, which perfectly keeps the audience’s attention high from beginning to end. At the Cannes Film Festival 2019, as part of the Directors’ Fortnight.
If, on the one hand, cinema was considered to be a marvellous medium for representing and imagining reality at will, on the other hand, it seemed to have little relevance as far as real scientific and technical progress was concerned. Numerous debates concerning cinema and progress took place especially from the end of the 19th century until the early 1910s. And it was mainly writers who initially raised such questions.
When we think of Magda Schneider, we cannot help but think of her as Romy Schneider’s mother. And yet, despite her mother’s strong and authoritarian character and despite her not always easy relationship with her, we do not know whether, without her, Romy Schneider would have become the Romy Schneider we all appreciated and loved. But who was, in fact, Magda Schneider?
An Alibi for Death, directed by Alfred Vohrer, is a striking thriller, shot entirely in Vienna, with a hybrid mise-en-scène, a welcome international touch and a (not too) subtle feminist character, although it also includes a certain (not always) understandable basic naivety.
On the occasion of the Viennale 2019, director Anja Salomonowitz presented the experimental documentary This Movie is a Gift, dedicated to the artist Daniel Spoerri and focusing in particular on his job and his works, which are made entirely from everyday objects that are no longer used. Cinema Austriaco had the opportunity to have a chat with her and learn more about her latest film and her important career. Interview by Marina Pavido.
Robolove, by Maria Arlamovsky, essentially stands out for its stylistic elegance, devoid of unnecessary frills, but with a camera that is able to focus, time after time, on every smallest but significant detail of the robots, without being afraid to take its time to show us everything, and ensuring that we too, in turn, can feel part of that future that is still so far away, but, in reality, much closer than we can imagine. At the Viennale 2019.
On the occasion of the Viennale 2019, directors Elsa Kremser and Levin Peter presented the documentary Space Dogs, the first work produced by Raumzeit Filmproduktion, founded by them. Cinema Austriaco had the opportunity to have a chat with them and learn more about their important film and their careers as directors and producers. Interview by Marina Pavido.