034
VISIONary
Contemporary Short Documentaries and Experimental Films from Austria
This compilation offers an opportunity for a substantial view of Austrian experimental and documentary film's varied status quo. The works on this DVD range from subjective to rigidly structural documentary approaches, from abstract music videos and conceptual architectural studies to elaborate computer animations. The amount of formal innovation manifest in all these films and videos is outstanding.
"A number of the works have enjoyed success at international festivals, in this way helping to ensure that Austrian film culture's innovativeness is not exhausted through tunnel vision, that it remains open to visionary ideas."
(Bert Rebhandl - "Der Standard" - April 29, 2009)
Ivette Löcker (Marina und Sascha, Kohleschiffer)
Born in Bregenz, Austria, in 1970. Studied Slavic Studies, Eastern-European History and Sociology. Performed research, conducted interviews, assistant producer and director for various documentaries, including the award-winning Pripyat. Alltag in Tschernobyl by Nikolaus Geyrhalter (1998) and Wolff von Amerongen - Did He Commit Bankruptcy Offenses? by Gerhard Friedl (2001). Marina and Sasha, Coal Shippers is the first documentary she has directed. A second, Nachtschichten, is in preparation.
Johannes Holzhausen (Frauentag / Woman's Day)
Born 1960, Salzburg. Works and lives since 1980 in Vienna. Studied Art History and at the Vienna Academy for Film. Founding member of Navigator Film. Films (selection): Wen die Götter lieben (1992), Zero Crossing (2000), Auf allen Meeren (2001).
Maria Arlamovsky (Eines Tages, nachts... / White Substanced)
Born in 1965. Studies sculpture in Paris in 1984. From 1991 till 2000 student for filmproduction at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Concept and organisation of several film series about the female body. She started with her own documentary work in 1997. Films (director): Laut und deutlich (2002), Angst hab' ich keine, aber leid tu ich mir jetzt schon (1998).
Simone Bader and Jo Schmeiser (Verlage im Exil / Phaidon - Publishers in Exile)
Since 1992 Klub Zwei, Simone Bader and Jo Schmeiser, have been working at the intersection of art, film and new media. Central to our work are current sociopolitical topics and an analysis of the ways in which they are represented in the media and in public. On the one hand we want to achieve critical reflection of representation and public intervention. On the other hand our aim is to develop an exchange between different cultural contexts, and forms of egalitarian cooperation. Videos (selection): Schwarz auf Weiss. Die Rückseite der Bilder (2003); things, places, years (2004).
Michaela Schwentner (la petite illusion)
Born 1970 in Linz; Studies philosophy, history, drama and media studies. Visuals, diverse concepts and realizations of exhibitions, concerts and clubs (e.g.: alternative project space "Jadengasse"). From 1995-1999 member of the theater group "Sparverein der Unzertrennlichen". Videos (selection): orchester 33 1/3 (S8) (1997), transistor (2000), r4 (2000), grainbits (2001), staubsaugerpinkblendton (2001), take the bus (2002), JET (2003), MAZY - how do you want m? (2003), giuliana 64:03 (2003), tucker (2004), tester (2005), the head of vitus bering (2005), swinging (2006), alpine passage (2008), speech (2009)
Elke Groen (NightStill)
Born 1969 in Bad Ischl, Austria. Studied architecture and photography. Feature Length Documentaries: Jeder Siebte Mensch (with Ina Ivanceanu) (2006), Bunica (with Ina Ivanceanu) (2005). Films (selection): Tito-Material (1998), Snakkerdudensk in Allensteig (1995)
Angelika Brudniak (Minot, North Dakota)
is a film maker from Vienna. With Cynthia Madansky she works on a second nuclear film titled Complex 2030. Videos (all short): Beni Cek/Shoot Me, Summertime in Vienna.
Cynthia Madansky (Minot, North Dakota)
visual artist and filmmaker, based in New York. Her previous films include We at Her; Internal Combustion; Treyf; Past Perfect; Still Life; and The PSA Project, Numbers 1-10.
Jan Machacek (In the Mix)
Born 1975 in Vienna, Austria. Study of sculpture and stage-design in Vienna and Karlsruhe. Since 2001 Jan Machacek is showing his "live-Video-Performances." In these works the film-studio is turned into a stage for performances. The performer appears as cameraman, director, technician and actor at the same time. Live-Video-Performances: faces and names (2007), video vis-a-vis (installation) (2006), erase, erase, erase (2006), feather by feather (2005), selftimer song (2004), am apparat (2003), vakuum revue (2002). Videos: erase remake (2007), words (2009).
Siegfried A. Fruhauf (Night Sweat)
Born 1976 in Grieskirchen (Upper Austria). Lives and works in Linz and Heiligenberg. Since 1993 experiments with video and later also with film. Since 2001 has organized film and art events with the artist group "wunderkinder." Studied experimental visual desgin at the Art University Linz. Participation in numerous international film festivals. Films & Videos (selection): La Sortie (1998), Höhenrausch (1999), Exposed (2001), REAL TIME (2002), Structural Filmwaste. Dissolution 1 (2003), Structural Filmwaste. Dissolution 2 (2003), Mirror Mechanics (2005), BLED (2007), Palmes d'Or (2009)
Dietmar Offenhuber (Paths of g)
Born 1973 in Linz, Upper Austria, lives in Boston, Massachussetts. Graduated in Architecture at the TU Vienna and worked as a key researcher at the ars electronica futurelab. Professor for Animation and Interactive Media at the University of Applied Science in Hagenberg until 2006. Since 2006 researcher at the MIT medialab in Boston. Videos (selection): Besenbahn (2001), mauerpark (2007), Zurückbleiben bitte! (2007)
Lotte Schreiber (Borgate)
Born 1971 in Mürzzuschlag / Austria. 1991-99 Study of architecture at TU-Graz and University of Edinburgh. Technical director of the exhibitions "Selfmade", "Fernbedienung" and "Need for Speed" / Steirischer Herbst. 2000 foundation of the architecture and graphik design label "loma." From 2001 to 2008 tutor for architecture at Kunstuniversität Linz. Films and Videos (selection): quadro (2002), I. E. [site 01-isole eolie] (2004), Domino (2005)
billy roisz (not still)
Born *1967. Lives and works in Vienna. Currently video and sound experiments in the context of performance, installation and cinema. Specializes in feedback video and video / sound interaction. Using monitors, cameras, video mixingdesks, a selfbuilt videosynth, computer and turntables for video andsound generating. Member of NotTheSameColor (/w dieb13), AVVA (/w Toshimaru Nakamura), efzeg (/w boris hauf / Burkhard Stangl / Martin Siewert), etc. Videos (selection): oberflach.avi (1999), smokfraqs (2001), blinq (2002), -2.20 (2003), BYE BYE ONE (2005), elesyn 15.625 (2006), TILT (2008), close your eyes (2009)
Josef Dabernig (Aquarena)
Born in 1956. 1975-83 University of Fine Arts, Vienna. Lives in Vienna. Films (selection): Wisla (1996), Timau (1998, in cooperation with Markus Schering), Jogging (2000), WARS (2001), automatic (2002, in cooperation with G.R.A.M.), Rosa coeli (2003), Lancia Thema (2005), Hotel Roccalba (2008)
Isabella Hollauf (Aquarena)
Born in 1956. 1976-82 University of Fine Arts, Vienna. Lives in Vienna. Michaela Grill (cityscapes)
Born 1971; has studied in Vienna, Glasgow and London. Since 1995 various film/video works, sound installations and live visuals; various performances in Austria and abroad. Lives and works in Vienna. Videos (selection): o.T. (1999), kingkong (2000), trans (2003 with M. Siewert), KILVO (2004), monroc (2005 with M. Siewert), Hello Again (2006).
Martin Siewert (cityscapes)
Born 1972 Saarbrücken, GDR, currently living in Vienna, Austria. Musician & composer. Improv and composing activity in both acoustic and/or electronic contexts; collaborations with film- & videoartists as well as various commissions for remixes and sound installations.
dextro (43)
since 1994: dextro.org: abstract graphic design experiments, algorithmic animations and videos. 1997-2001: turux.org: interactive animations.
Martin Bruch (home.movie)
Born 1961 in Hall in Tyrol is living and working in Vienna. Boom operator in films. The affliction with multiple sclerosis required a change from the film set into the film-sound studio TREMENS. Ten years of work as a sound effects archivist followed. After repeatedly falling over with his scooter (and later with his wheel chair) Bruch discovered a new perspective and took photos immediately after each accident. These photographs were collected as book and exhibition under the title BRUCHLANDUNGEN (Crash Landings). Various exhibitions and filmscreenings worldwide. Films: handbikemovie (2003), fenster / drei sätze (2006).
Reinhilde Condin (home.movie)
Born in Auer, South Tyrol, in 1954. Academy of Applied Art, Costume Design. Lives and works in Vienna.
Manuel Knapp (visibility of interim~)
Born 12.5.1978 in Carinthia/Austria. From 1997-2002 he studied painting and grafic design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. 2003 studies of computer sound and electroacoustic media at the Institute for Electroacoustics in Vienna. 2007 velakgala at Konzerthaus Vienna | co-organizer V:ELAK association for electro- acustic music. Various concerts and exhibitions. Videos (selection): accelerated lines~ (2005), interferenzen ~v0.1 (2005), Distorted Areas~0.1 (fields of interim) (2008), stroboscopic noise~ (2009), information of decay~ (2010)
Barbara Doser (evolverevolve 01)
1961 born in Innsbruck/A, lives and works in Vienna. In 1989 doctorate in art history. Since 1993 freelance artist (video art and fine arts). Artistic domain: video feedback - processed in experimental videos, video/media installations, in the fields of painting and print presented internationally at exhibitions, events and festivals for film, video and new media. Since 1998 cooperation with Hofstetter Kurt under the name of "Parallel Media." Videos (selection): crossover (1995 with Hofstetter Kurt), moments (1996-98), see you see me (2001), image[s] ... loss (2002), don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining (2002), even odd even (2004), ORDER-RE-ORDER (2006 with Hofstetter Kurt), dream\u2019sdream (2007 with Hofstetter Kurt), frameframer (2009), zart B (2009 with Hofstetter Kurt).
Vermessungen filmischer Randzonen
Wenngleich die Popularität und Präsenz von Dokumentar-, Kurz- und experimentellen Filmen in letzter Zeit deutlich zugenommen hat, so zwingt sie der Vergleich mit dem Spielfilm dennoch zweifellos in eine Nischenexistenz. Das gilt auch für das österreichische Filmschaffen, das freilich nicht erst mit den drei Oscarnominierungen (für Christoph Waltz, Michael Haneke sowie dessen Kameramann Christian Berger) auch international von sich Reden macht; vielmehr genießt die hiesige Filmproduktion gerade in Connaisseurkreisen schon länger rege Aufmerksamkeit, und trotzdem bleiben diese Arbeiten einem breiteren Publikum – abgesehen von Festivals oder Sonderprogrammen – häufig verborgen.
Schon aus diesem Grund muss man eine Kompilation wie „VISIONary“ begrüßen, wie sie nun zusammengestellt wurde von dem Filmwissenschaftler und -publizisten Michael Loebenstein und Norbert Pfaffenbichler, der sowohl als Künstler und Filmemacher als auch als Kurator tätig ist (jüngst etwa zeichnete er mitverantwortlich für die Ausstellung „Cineplex“ in der Wiener Secession). Einige der dort gezeigten Arbeiten finden sich auch auf der DVD, etwa Lotte Schreibers in ihrer formalistischen Strenge betörende Stadt-/Architekturvermessung „Borgate“, die das desolate Ergebnis eines modernistisch-sozialutopisch konzipierten Wohnbauprojektes im Süden Roms in atmosphärisch dichten Impressionen einfängt. In „Minot, North Dakota“ von Angelika Brudniak und Cynthia Madansky werden die ohnehin schon trostlos wirkenden (und auch dementsprechend in Szene gesetzten) besagten Landstriche durch die Kommentare aus dem Off noch beklemmender: Sie handeln von einem wenig abwechslungsreichen Leben in einer Stadt, die primär von dem Stützpunkt der Air Force sowie beträchtlichen Depots nuklearer Waffen geprägt ist.
Die nach dokumentarischen und experimentellen Schwerpunkten gruppierten Beiträge fanden freilich auch in heimischen Gefilden ihre Settings. Josef Dabernig und Isabella Hollauf etwa lassen in „Aquarena“ die österreichische Provinz zu einer Folie werden für Überlegungen zu öffentlichem Raum und der Rolle des Wassers dabei – unterlegt sind diese Denkbilder mit einer durchaus humorvollen Collage aus Geplätscher, Violoncelloklängen und Textpassagen aus einer Gewässerverordnung. Das Künstlerinnenduo Klub 2 beschäftigt sich mit einem Kapitel österreichischer Publikationsgeschichte, das allerdings weitgehend im Exil geschrieben wurde: Der renommierte Kunstverlag Phaidon musste bald nach seiner Gründung 1923 nach London emigrieren, wo er bis heute seinen Sitz hält. Im Gegensatz zu dieser primär auf Interviews aufbauenden Arbeit finden sich auch eine Reihe stark formalistisch geprägter Ansätze – doch unabhängig vom Genre und egal, ob es sich nun um betörende Zeitrafferbilder des Dachsteins (Elke Groen) oder um eine in ruhigen Einstellungen gefilmte Schiffsexpedition auf dem Baikalsee (Ivette Löcker) handelt, da wie dort können sich Abenteuer abspielen.
Naoko Kaltschmidt, 04.03.10 artmagazine.cc