Die Siebtelbauern (1998)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Stefan Ruzowitzky

Writer:

Stefan Ruzowitzky (writer)

Release Date:

9 October 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The rich get richer... and sometimes the poor get richer too.

Plot:

Austria, a little farming valley. Beginning of the century. When one of the farmers is found murdered one day...

Plot Keywords:

Gypsy | Class Conflict | Arrogance | Violence | Rural

Awards:

9 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Simon Schwarz	...	Lukas Lichtmeß
Sophie Rois	...	Emmy
Lars Rudolph	...	Severin
Tilo Prückner	...	Großknecht
Ulrich Wildgruber	...	Danninger
Julia Gschnitzer	...	Alte Nane
Susanne Silverio	...	Lisbeth
Kirstin Schwab	...	Lissi
Werner Prinz	...	Ganders
Dietmar Nigsch	...	Sepp
Elisabeth Orth	...	Rosalind
Christoph Gusenbauer	...	Hirtenbub
Gertraud Mayböck	...	Gertrud
Norbert Perchtold	...	Danninger's Neffe
Michael Popp Kreiner	...	Elefantenwärter

Also Known As:

The Inheritors (Canada: English title)
The One-Seventh Farmers (Hong Kong: English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence including a rape, sexuality, and brief language.

Runtime:

95 min | Argentina:95 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival)

Country:

Austria | Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Certification:

Australia:MA | France:U | Hong Kong:III | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Altenhof, Upper Austria, Austria

Company:

Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR)

Quotes:

Lukas: Nobody can beat me up anymore, right?

Soundtrack:

La donna è mobile

A beautiful bleak little film

When a farmer is murdered he unexpectedly wills his farm and all his belongings to his 10 peasants, 7 of which decide, even more unexpectedly, to keep the farm and try to run it themselves despite the scorn and outrage of the "legitimate" farmers. Thus, they become the "one-seventh farmers" in this second feature length movie by prominent Austrian writer/director Stefan Ruzowitzky. A beautifully made movie about class struggles, injustice and vain arrogance (among other things), Die Siebtelbauern is also not a film that unravels the way you'd like it too (thus, it isn't really for everyone). This is quite a bleak film, but it is also extremely engaging as you truly feel for the characters, who were all wonderfully acted. Also serving the film perfectly is its beautiful music, consisting mainly of haunting piano pieces which set the tone very well. Most amusing of all is a well-made nod by Ruzowitzky to First Blood (aka the first Rambo movie) towards the end of the film, which you're likely to appreciate if you've seen said film. All in all, while it isn't essential viewing, this is a splendidly crafted little film, very engaging, beautiful, realistic and dark, and at least on par with Ruzowitzky latest, the Oscar-winning WW2 prison film Die Fälscher (The Counterfeiters).