Innsbruck's tribute to diversity
The Innsbruck International Film Festival, created in 1992 and supported by the governement, the state of Tyrol, the City of Innsbruck, and the Cine Tirol Film Commission & Fund, expresses perfectly the notion that since Europe is itself diverse, it should support all forms of diversity. From today until the 5th of June, the Leokino, the Cinematograph, and the Ferdinandeum in Innsbruck will screen films of all lengths and in all genres from or about Asia, Africa, and Latino-America, at least half of which are European productions or co-productions.
All films selected for the international competition are making their Austrian premieres. They are competing for two prizes, the State of Tyrol Prize (€5000) and the Audience Prize (€1000). The festival also includes parallel sections, tributes and meetings.
Amongst the wholly European (co-)productions presented in Innsbruck, there are some of Christian Berger’s works (such as Filmlicht and Ethnische Idyllen), Paradise Girls by Fow Pyung Hu (Germany/Netherlands), Welcome Home by Andreas Gruber (Germany/Austria) and Ardiente paciencia by Antonio Skármeta (Germany/Portugal), the Slovenian film Ljubljana by Igor Sterk, and the Swiss productions Nocaut, by Stefano Knuchel and Ivan Nurchis, Namibia Crossings by Peter Liechti, and Coca – The Dove From Chechnya by Eric Bergkraut.
Most of the films are international co-productions, which reveals the commitment of certain European producers to collaborate in helping emerging countries develop their industry. The resulting partnerships emphasize this willingness. The festival will, for instance, screen Salvador Allende by Patricio Guzmán (a film co-produced by Chile, Mexico, Belgium, France, Germany, and England),Volver la vista, a film by Fridolin Schönwiese produced by Austria and Mexico (Christian Berger Prize, Best Camera at Diagonale 2005), and Lessons from Bam by Alireza Ghanie, produced by Austria, Iran, and Australia (Best short documentary at the Chicago Festival).
Films in the French language —such as Agadez Nomade FM by Christian Lelong and Pierre Mortimore (France/Switzerland/Niger), Le grand voyage by Ismaël Ferroukhi (France/Morocco), Arlit, deuxième Paris by Idrissou Mora-Kpai (Benin/France), and Moolaadé by Ousmane Sembène (Senegal/France)— are also in line for the French Cultural Intitute Prize (€1000).
(Translated from French)
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