In the second episode of the Viennale Podcast, festival director Eva Sangiorgi and managing director Paolo Calamita take us behind the scenes of this year's festival, sharing personal anecdotes, unexpected discoveries and a few secrets about what goes into putting together a film festival. From the stories behind the opening and closing films to anticipated premieres and hidden gems, they offer a personal journey through the filmmakers, ideas and cinematic encounters shaping the 2026 edition.
Setting the Tone: From Trailer to Closing Film
What makes the perfect opening film? Eva and Paolo share their favourite Viennale trailers, including a glimpse into Kelly Reichardt's thoughts, and reveal some of the thinking behind this year's opening and closing selections. Among the surprises: the unusual decision to open the festival with a 21-minute short film.
Encounters: From DAU to Radu Jude, Anticipated Films & Unexpected Discoveries
A journey through some of the programe's most expected films and filmmakers, including Ilya Khrzhanovsky's DAU, Lee Chang-dong's Possible Love, Sandra Wollner's Everytime, Bruno Dumont Les roches rouges, Arthur Harari's L'Inconnue, Radu Jude's Le Journal d'une femme de chambre and many more.