Import/Export (2007)

Director:

Ulrich Seidl

Writers:

Veronika Franz (writer)
Ulrich Seidl (writer)

Release Date:

11 October 2007 (Czech Republic)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A nurse from the Ukraine searches for a better life in the West, while an unemployed security guard from Austria heads East for the same reason. |

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Ekateryna Rak	...	Olga
Paul Hofmann	...	Pauli
Michael Thomas	...	Michael
Maria Hofstätter	...	Schwester Maria
Georg Friedrich	...	Pfleger Andi
Natalya Baranova	...	Olgas Freundin - Ukraine (as Natalja)
Natalja Epureanu	...	Olgas Freundin
Erich Finsches	...	Erich Schlager
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Herbert Fritsch	...	Paulis Vater
Susanne Lothar	...	Paulis Mutter
Petra Morzé
Thomas Nash
Dirk Stermann	...	Ausbilder für Putzfrauen

Runtime:

South Korea:123 min | Germany:135 min

Country:

Austria

Language:

German | Slovak | Russian | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Sweden:15 | Czech Republic:15 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Vienna, Austria

Company:

Ulrich Seidl Film Produktion GmbH

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Metropolis: Cannes 2007 - Special" (2007)

A cold,bleak and pitiless film!

Whereas Ulrich Seidl in "Hundstage", his first non-documentary film took the hottest days of the year for the description of apathy, brutality and humiliation in society, his new film takes place in a cold scenery. And that in a double sense: While in the East (mostly in the Ukraine) there is a deep winterly climate, in the West (Vienna) the relations and the social environment are characterized by coldness.Seidl's films have always been controversial because of the docu-like unrelenting gaze of their pictures,which abstain from any commentary and because of their description of social milieus and phenomenons one usually does not perceive or doesn't want to.All that applies also to "Import Export".Here we find scenes of grotesque disgust, in which the spectator is ashamed of watching and blaming the camera for its rigidity.On the other hand these films create some kind of maelstrom,which is difficult to escape from.There always is the question:Does he exploits his protagonists or not.Well, everyone has to find his own answer: I don't think so because showing the situation does not mean its denunciation.The story depicts in two unrelated strands two diametrical movements: From East to West and vice versa.The title already refers to the films main subject:The goods-like character,which the globalized capitalistic world imposes on the people.The society is in a desperate state ; nevertheless it is Seidl's most human film.He seems to show empathy for his two protagonists and even if there is no sort of Happy-End - the film has no real end at all,but just leaves its figures alone- the hope remains,that they have got a little bit of strength and decisiveness,which could make a more self-defined life in the future possible.Or maybe not.Every Film of Seidl makes you leave the cinema thinking,that the whole world and the people are in a desperate and hopeless state,but here we have at least little moments of tenderness,in which we see people fighting for their dignity.A rigorous film for the lovers of contemporary austrian film(Albert, Glawogger,Haneke) and definitely no "entertainement".