Image of movie ZECHMEISTER
Image of movie ZECHMEISTER
Cinematography: AUSTRIAN AUTEURS

ZECHMEISTER

Angela Summereder
Austria 1981
83 min
V'20

In 1949, Maria Zechmeister was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of her husband. There was neither evidence nor a confession, but in the village in Upper Austria, where she lived, there was a lot of talk, especially behind her back. These rumors provided the basis for the legal inquiries. The film, on the other hand, is based on the minutes of the trial, on motions, statements and what remained of them three decades later. Maria Zechmeister, who was released early after 17 years in prison, and five witnesses appear in the film as themselves; the jurors and pub visitors are played by people from the area, and the other roles are performed by actors.
In its gentle radicalism, the film ZECHMEISTER – a key work from the zero hour of new Austrian cinema – tells about farewells and new beginnings. “What I didn’t want to do under any circumstances was: first, to make a ‘historical’ film [...], and second, to work with the principle of ‘identification possibilities for the viewer.’ [...] Watching a film should be like getting to know a person.” (Angela Summereder) (fw)

On 30.10. in the presence of Angela Summereder (Director, Script).

Angela Summereder: BLUT IN DER SPUR (1979, K, Co-Director), JOBCENTER (2009), IM AUGENBLICK – DIE HISTORIE UND DAS OFFENE (2013, K, Co-Director), AUS DEM NICHTS (2016)

Credits
  • Herbert Adamec
  • Asher Mendelssohn
  • Claudia Schneider
  • Peter Weibel
  • Gernot Klotz
  • Franz Hofer
  • Dietrich Siegl
  • Angela Summereder
  • Hille Sagel
  • Don King
  • Dörte Völz
  • Christian Geerdes
  • Fritz Mikesch
  • Ursula Weck
  • Franz Lehár
Studio-Film
16 mm
Farbe
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