Austrian Co-Productions on a Profitable Streak

After a massively profitable yr for home movies, Austria’s film trade is wanting ahead to a different spectacular crop of titles, together with many worldwide co-productions that replicate not solely cultural and historic ties with neighboring international locations but additionally the sector’s sturdy cross-border partnerships.

Extremely anticipated movies this yr embrace Hans Steinbichler’s “A Complete Life,” the story of a humble man’s existence in an Alpine valley that spans greater than eight many years; Dieter Berner’s “Alma and Oskar,” which explores the passionate and tumultuous affair between Viennese composer and socialite Alma Mahler and artist Oskar Kokoschka within the early 1900s; and Timm Kröger’s “The Idea of All the pieces,” a black-and-white, Nineteen Sixties-set mystery-thriller that takes place in a scientific convention within the Alps.

Forthcoming releases embrace works from established administrators and younger filmmakers, says Anne Laurent-Delage, government director of promotional group Austrian Movies. This yr’s sturdy exhibiting follows an “excellent yr” for Austrian cinema, she provides. “It appears like 2023 shall be one other nice yr.”

Primarily based on Robert Seethaler’s bestselling novel that has been translated into 40 languages, “A Complete Life” is produced by Vienna’s EpoFilm and Tobis Movie in Germany. The movie shot in Austria’s Alpine East Tyrol area in addition to on location in neighboring Italy and Germany.

Andreas Rothbauer, managing director of Image Tree Intl., which is promoting the movie, says the story of a humble man who enjoys small moments of bliss all through his very tough life “actually reminds you of the issues that basically matter.”

“Alma & Oskar” reunites Berner and Vienna-based Movie AG (beforehand referred to as Novotny und Novotny Movie) following 2016’s massively profitable “Egon Schiele: Loss of life and the Maiden.”

Co-producing “Alma and Oskar” are Turnus Movie in Switzerland, Germany’s Wüste Movie and Czech firm Dawson Movie. Along with Vienna and Decrease Austria, the movie additionally shot on location in Prague, the Swiss canton of Thurgau and the German state of Schleswig-Holstein.

Movie AG additionally produced Marie Kreutzer’s critically acclaimed historic drama “Corsage,” starring Vicky Krieps as Empress Elisabeth of Austria. It bowed in Cannes final yr and went on to change into Austria’s official entry within the worldwide function Oscar race. In realizing the lavish manufacturing, Movie AG teamed up with Luxembourg’s Samsa Movie, Germany’s Komplizen Movie and Kazak Prods. in France.

Each “Alma & Oskar” and “Corsage” proved preferrred worldwide co-productions in view of the “iconic, historic figures on the middle of their narrative,” says Movie AG managing director Alexander Glehr.

“Alma & Oskar,” Glehr provides, equally “facilities on two historic figures who’re recognized far past the borders of Austria: Alma Mahler, a central feminine determine of the early twentieth century, an artist, a muse, an mental, a cosmopolitan, and Oskar Kokoschka, an Austrian artist who left his mark on European artwork historical past by way of the Czech Republic and Germany till his demise in Switzerland in [1980].”

Like “Egon Schiele,” which offered in additional than 40 international locations, “Alma & Oskar” was penned by Berger and Hilde Berger. “We have been capable of construct on this success on this new co-production between Austria, Switzerland, Germany and the Czech Republic.”

As a minority co-producer, Movie AG additionally partnered with Germany’s Geissendörfer Photos and Giganten Movie and fellow Austrian corporations Lotus Movie and 2010 Leisure on Adrian Goiginger’s upcoming World Battle II drama “The Fox,” the true story of a younger military courier who saves a fox cub, with whom he varieties a deep bond.

“We’re blissful to have gained each expertise and invaluable worldwide friendships in addition to items of a global community from all these collaborations,” Glehr says.

“The Idea of All the pieces” was likewise co-produced by worldwide companions, with Kröger and Viktoria Stolpe’s Berlin-based the Barricades collaborating on the venture with Lixi Frank and David Bohun’s Panama Movie in Vienna, Germany’s Ma.ja.de. and Catpics in Switzerland.

Panama Movie and the Barricades are additionally producing Sandra Wollner’s “Everytime” after partnering on the director’s 2020 science fiction drama “The Bother With Being Born.” At present in improvement, “Everytime” follows Ella, a grieving mom who has change into inseparable from Lux, the love of her late daughter.

Vienna’s Freibeuter Movie, which joined Leipzig-based Rohfilm Prods. on Sebastian Meise’s award-winning 2021 jail drama “Nice Freedom,” is partnering with Germany’s Match Manufacturing facility Prods. and Tellfilm of Switzerland on Johanna Moder’s “Motherhood.” At present in improvement, the movie facilities on a girl who, after the traumatic start of her first little one, turns into satisfied that one thing is mistaken together with her child and that this new presence in her house is one thing alien.

Tellfilm likewise produced Margarethe von Trotta’s Berlin competitors title “Ingeborg Bachmann — Journey Into the Desert,” starring Krieps because the titular Austrian writer, together with Amour Fou Vienna, Germany’s Heimatfilm and Amour Fou Luxembourg. Award-winning filmmaker Jessica Hausner (“Little Joe”), in the meantime, shot her forthcoming drama “Membership Zero” within the U.Okay. and Austria.

The movie options Mia Wasikowska as a trainer at an elite college who varieties a harmful bond together with her college students. Hausner’s Vienna-based Coop99 produced with Philippe Bober’s German and French shingles Important Movie and Société Parisienne de Manufacturing.