Viennale showcases diverse films

The 64th Viennale film festival, running from 22 October to 3 November, will screen 261 films from 71 countries across five cinemas and six auditoriums, with 330 public screenings. The event will feature films of varying lengths, from three minutes to seven hours and ten minutes, and will explore the role of film festivals in modern society, according to director Eva Sangiorgi.

Themes of conflict and resistance

Many of the selected films address themes such as conflict, displacement, and resistance. Examples include Halayon by Avi Mograbi, which revisits footage of the village of Saffuriyya, and Going Home by Kamal Aljafari, which shows images of Gaza on his parents' television.

Focus on social issues and personal stories

Other films include They're Here by Laura Poitras and Rachel Lauren Mueller, which follows protests against ICE raids in Minneapolis, and Sense of Water by Mohammad Rasoulof, which imagines an Iranian writer considering returning home to face prison. Elegy for the Forgotten, on an Endless War by Bani Khoshnoudi gathers images of violence in Iran, from the war with Iraq to recent bombings.

Notable collaborations and premieres

Kleber Mendonça Filho’s South of Tehran, made with Jafar Panahi, screens ahead of Mani Haghighi’s I Deserve a Lover. The festival opens with Forever...Forever by Johann Lurf, which condenses 22 months at the Ottenstein reservoir into 21 minutes and will be shown on 70 mm film. The closing film is The Loneliest Man in Town by Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel.

Austrian filmmakers and international stars

Several Austrian filmmakers are showcasing their work, including Everytime by Sandra Wollner and The Dreamed Adventure by Valeska Grisebach. International names such as Albert Serra, Angela Schanelec, Bruno Dumont, and Denis Côté are also expected to participate. Ulrike Ottinger will screen The Blood Countess, and Volker Schlöndorff will present Visitation and reflect on six decades of his directing career.

Festival highlights and retrospectives

The festival includes Fjord by Cristian Mungiu and Wild Horse Nine by Martin McDonagh. This year’s trailer is from Kelly Reichardt, using scenes from The Mastermind that didn’t make the final cut. The festival also features retrospectives on filmmakers such as Phil Solomon and Vasko Pregelj, and a section dedicated to war reporter Jocelyne Saab.

New initiatives for young audiences

To engage younger audiences, the Viennale introduces the Debut Card, allowing 14- to 19-year-olds to watch 19 selected films for €8.50 each. The new festival center at the Funkhaus Wien will host free concerts, parties, and talks. Female directors make up 33% of the programme, a figure the festival calls "still insufficient," though it is better than at other major festivals.