The Viennale is particularly pleased to announce this year's opening film. The festival begins on October 16 with a festive gala and the screening of MIROIRS NO. 3 by Christian Petzold.
“This year's opening of the Viennale is marked by a very special occasion,” says Viennale director Eva Sangiorgi enthusiastically. “With the festival's first film, we are honoring one of the great masters of auteur cinema of our time—highly esteemed by both Viennese and international audiences—and at the same time welcoming our new president. A truly happy coincidence.”
We look forward to welcoming Christian Petzold to the stage of the Gartenbaukino during the opening gala.
MIROIRS NO. 3
Christian Petzold
Germany 2025, 86 minutes
With Paula Beer, Barbara Auer, Matthias Brandt, Enno Trebs
A car accident in the countryside. The survivor is to recover with a family living nearby. The family oscillates between decay and healing; the survivor's life has come to a standstill – both seem to give meaning to each other.
And as always with Petzold, no one is in a hurry and there is no pointless chatter. Instead, there is plenty of time to listen to the wild geese flying across the sky, or to cycle along country lanes and through forests, or to paint the fence and digress into storytelling. In moving through space and interacting with each other, Petzold's characters come into their own, often imperceptibly. (Alexandra Seitz)