Four film-makers embark on a cinematic survey of Austria, documenting the political and social state of the nation and its people. An eye-opening experience. In the wake of the 1999 ...
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Title: State of the Nation: Austria in Six Chapters (2002)
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Four film-makers embark on a cinematic survey of Austria, documenting the political and social state of the nation and its people. An eye-opening experience. In the wake of the 1999 elections, four filmmakers decided to go out with cameras in hand and gauge the mood of their countrymen, who had made Jörg Haider's FPO party the second most powerful in Austria. What they found was a country apparently "like any other" , filled with nice ordinary people. Who feel perfectly comfortable dreaming of a possible future without foreigners, or speaking with equanimity about the old days of the Third Reich.
4 directors decided to investigate why Jörg Haider's far right "Freedom Party" won the election in Austria in 1999. A very interesting film is the result. We hardly see any politicians or campaigns in the film as you might expect. Instead the 4 directors have decided to interview ordinary Austrians in their own private environment. At the beginning of the film one director interviews people who give him a ride in their cars and then talk about their lives. Another director visits people in their private homes. Most people in the film have reservations towards foreigners living in Austria. Many are not very interested in politics but feel that Haider will take care of the problems with the foreigners. Foreigners are accused of only being interested in exploiting social welfare. And Muslims are being accused of not adapting culturally and religiously to the norms of the Catholic Austria. Traces of the Nazi past lurk just below the surface in several scenes in the film. The film has some very tragic but also very funny moments. It is a film definitely worth seeing.