Austrian Film Festival officially opened: Sharp moral satire to start – Culture

Ivan Aranđelović, editor of the film program of the Cultural Center of Belgrade, Amadeus Faltajner, director of the Austrian Cultural Forum, and Saša Radojević, selector of this year’s edition of the festival, addressed the audience at the opening.

Ivan Arandjelovic said that we discover Austrian cinematography year after year.
“You have witnessed that the Austrian film is welcome in Serbia and Belgrade. This is the right place for Austrian cinema, which we discover year after year, and this festival is growing. Thank you Austrian Cultural Forum on the organization of this year’s Austrian Film Festival”
In his opening speech, Amadeus Falteiner emphasized the theme of the selected films.

“Selector Saša Radojević made a special and colorful program. Over the next few days, we’re showing six films that I think are a great mix of insider tips and award-winning works. The title of the festival Imagine: Film and the general motto of the Austrian foreign cultural policy – Imagine Dignity – put environmental and social issues in the foreground. And this year, as a side program, we are organizing Industry Day, the focus of which is expert exchange on the topic of Green Filming”.

Speaking of this year’s selection, Saša Radojević especially singled out the films “Rimini” and “Sparta” by Ulrich Seidl, whom he said is one of the most interesting filmmakers at the moment. About the film “Zero Calories” and the entire program, the festival selector added:
“Jessica Hausner’s film deals with what is very present in modern Europe – the constant need to maintain vitality and a healthy life, which can easily be translated into a kind of subtle dictatorship. The films you will see at the festival are very precise, and that precision with which the problems of the modern world are recognized and considered is something that elevates Austrian cinematography above the European average”.

The main film program of the festival was opened by the screening of the film “Club Zero” by director Jessica Hausner.

This sharp moral satire with Mia Wasikowska as the enigmatic Mrs. Novak follows the sore points of our contemporary debates.

The class is completely enchanted by the teacher’s charisma – who wouldn’t want to be in top shape and save the world at the same time? But gradually the students are drawn into an absurd and dangerous cult from which there is no way out. With wicked wit, compositional perfection and cold-blooded ambiguity, the director creates an immensely entertaining black comedy.

The day before, on Wednesday, April 24, in the KCB Hall, the presentation of the book of essays “About boulevards, apartments and Billy Wilder” was held, at which the editor of the edition Aleksandar S. Janković, the selector of the festival Saša Radojević, and the author of the essay Vesna Perić spoke. , Iva Leković, Biljana Maksić, and Neda Radulović.

Aleksandar S. Janković said about the conception of the collection:

“My idea was to leave out the zither films because I think it’s much more important to shine a light on some of the lesser known but also important films of Billy Wilder.” I am especially glad for my colleagues, the authors of the essays, who refreshed my thinking about this director. This collection is a must for both students and all those who love Billy Wilder”.

This year’s Austrian film festival, which is held under the slogan “Imagine: Film”, will present a selection of six contemporary Austrian films of recent production in the main festival program: “Club Zero” by director Jessica Hausner, “Sparta” and “Rimini”. Ulrich Seidl, “Family Dinner” by Peter Hengl, “Europa” by director Sudabeh Mortezai, and “Rikerl” by Adrian Goiginger, whose Serbian premiere will close the festival with a mini concert and a conversation with the film’s lead actor, musician Voodoo Jurgens.

The sponsors of the festival are A1 and Lesnina S, and the partners are Cultural Center of Belgrade, Cineplexx, Niš Cultural Center, MEDIA Desk Serbia and Green Art Incubator.