Production company - Sola Media GmbH

Antares ("anti-Mars"), a.k.a. Alpha Scorpii,
a bright red double star at the center of the
constellation of Scorpius. It got its name in
ancient times because of its similar
appearance to Mars (Ares). One of the
brightest stars in the sky and a supergiant
almost 300 times the size of the Sun.

feature, A 2004, 119 min, 35mm, 1:1,85, color, Dolby SRD
Scriptwriter & director: Götz Spielmann
CAST
Petra Morzé, Andreas Patton, Hary Prinz,
Susanne Wuest, Dennis Cubic,
Martina Zinner, Andreas Kiendl
Produced by LOTUS FILM Vienna and TEAMFILM Vienna
with support from Vienna Film Fund,
Austrian Film Institute - Reference Film Funding and
Austrian Broadcasting Corporation - Film/Television-Agreement
© LOTUS-Film GmbH & TEAMFILM PRODUKTION GmbH & CoKG Vienna
PRODUCTION COMPANIES:
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TEAMFILM Produktion GesmbH & Co KG,
A-1040 Vienna, Waaggasse 5
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e-mail: office@teamfilm.at
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www.antares-themovie.com
ANTARES / 2

short synopsis
Three stories about passion. And one about death.
Eva is in her late thirties and has her whole life, from her daily
work routine as a nurse to her role as wife and mother, perfectly
under control. Then one day she finds Tomasz, doctor and casual
out-of-town acquaintance from the past, waiting for her as she
gets off her shift.
A few passion-filled nights later Tomasz is on his way back to the
airport. He takes home with him a few photographs of Eva in
compromising positions – frozen moments of intense intimacy in
the wake of which nothing will ever be the same.
Sonja, the grocery store checkout girl, is frantically jealous of her
husband Marco. And she has every reason to be. A baby, she
thinks, could change everything. But can you exact love with a lie?
It's been a while since Nicole divorced the real estate agent Alex,
and there's no longer any room for him in her new life as a single
mother. His way of dealing with his powerlessness to change the
situation follows the same pattern as ever: first ignorance and
arrogance, and then hate and violence.
Lives that intersect at critical moments, skillfully woven into a film
about the obsessions of love, the search for closeness, and the
hope for happiness. About fear, loneliness, and courage.
In the constellation of Scorpius, 500 light years away, the variable
double star Antares shines bright and red in the sky. Its unique
luminosity is at the same time its demise. In the foreseeable future
it will explode as a supernova.
ANTARES / 3

cast
Eva Petra Morzé
Tomasz Andreas Patton
Alfred Hary Prinz
Iris XENIA FERCHNER
Eva’s colleague ANGELIKA NIDETZKY
Old man in hospital HANNES THANHEISER
Sonja Susanne Wuest
Marco Dennis Cubic
Robert REINHARD NOWAK
Astrid GISELLA SALCHER
Sonja’s co-worker MONIKA TAJMAR
Nicole Martina Zinner
Alex Andreas Kiendl
Mario WOLFRAM SCHMIDT
Prostitute BARCA BAXANT
and many more
team
Scriptwriter & director Götz Spielmann
Cinematographer Martin Gschlacht
Sound Ekkehart Baumung
Production design Katharina Wöppermann
Costume design Thomas Olah
Make-up Susanne Neidhart
Light Werner Stibitz
Casting Rita Waszilovics
Editor Karina Ressler
Sound design Andreas Kopriva
Music Walter W. Cikan
Marnix Veenenbos
Production manager Gilbert Petutschnig
Producers Erich Lackner, LOTUS-FILM
Wulf Flemming, TEAMFILM
ANTARES / 4

synopsis
ANTARES / 5
ANTARES ("anti-Mars"), a.k.a. Alpha
Scorpii, a bright red double star at the
center of the constellation of Scorpius.
It got its name in ancient times because
of its similar appearance to Mars (Ares);
arabian: "kalb el akrab", "Heart of
Scorpius."
A housing development on the outskirts of a big city, common, ubiquitous –
high-rise apartment complexes, lots of concrete, sparse plots of perfunctory
green. Graffiti-scrawled entryways, intercoms, long stairwells, thousands of
faceless windows. From out of this uniform coexistence three couples emerge
whose lives intersect over the course of three days and will never be the same
again.
Eva (Petra Morzé) is in her late thirties, nurse, wife, and the mother of a teen-age girl
(Xenia Ferchner). Her marriage with Alfred (Hary Prinz) isn't bad, it's just sort of hohum
and predictable. Then suddenly everything changes: Tomasz (Andreas Patton), an
old acquaintance, comes to town to see Eva. She checks into a hotel with him, without
hesitating, without thinking twice. Intense pent-up sexual energy explodes between
them. They engage in uninhibited, passionate, almost wordless sex in which both of them
tap into their own hidden obsessions and fantasies. Afterwards, Eva will return to her
family.
She comes back the following night. A night of bodies, of passion. Shameless rituals, the
living out of erotic desires, all almost without words. Everything happens in silent mutual
agreement. Eva and Tomasz have crossed a line, each for him- or herself. At the same
time they know they will have to return to their separate everyday lives, that this
experience is an exception. Mixed with their happiness is pain.
Alfred senses the change in Eva, her restlessness; in his own way he tries to give her
closeness and security. But Eva's thoughts are with her lover now. When she returns to
the hotel to spend another night with Thomasz, she finds he has already checked out.
Eva spends the night alone in their hotel room. She won't leave her family, but her life
has changed none the less.
Sonja (Susanne Wuest) is in her mid twenties, works as a checkout girl at a grocery
store in the housing development, where she has been living with the billboard and
advertising paster Marco (Dennis Cubic) for two years. Marco, the son of Yugoslav guest
worker parents, isn't the most loyal husband around, which only aggravates Sonja's
jealousy, causing it to reach sick proportions. Living in constant fear that Marco might
leave her, two months ago without thinking Sonja told Marco that she was pregnant.
Marco is overjoyed and idolizes the would-be mother of his unborn child. Feeling trapped
by the situation she's gotten herself into with her lie and the growing proof of Marco's
infidelity, Sonja decides to take her life. But, strangely enough, this (failed) suicide
attempt seems to bring Marco closer – at least for now.
The woman Marco is having an affair with lives in the same housing development. Nicole
(Martina Zinner) is divorced and is raising her young son alone. Her ex-husband Alex
(Andreas Kiendl) can't seem and in fact refuses to accept the divorce and the loss of his
son. He doesn't understand Nicole's rejection, keeps trying to prove to her that he's not
violent, that he's changed, and that everything will be okay. But Nicole stands her
ground, her sexual needs are being gratified by Marco (Dennis Cubic), her married lover
and neighbor, and besides she's had enough of men for the time being.

ANTARES / 6
For Alex the finality of Nicole's decision is unbearable: he wants to try one last time to
make her change her mind and he's willing to do everything he has to. But the snazzy
sports car was bought on credit and his fantastic sales record as a real estate agent is
one big lie. When he finds he can't deny reality, Alex lashes out with loud-mouthed
aggression – and in the end with pure violence.
Götz Spielmann portrays in ANTARES three relationships from three different
perspectives. A laconically told and at the same time highly emotional film that
only gradually unfolds and reveals its intertwining themes. A masterly
constructed mosaic of human destiny that takes us on a trip to a realm of
passion.
“ANTARES is about love. Three stories about passion, jealousy, habit,
and violence. What people call love is the force that sets the emotional
and physical experiences of the characters in motion. The film describes
what produces this basic life energy, this mysterious force, how it drives
or torments people, what it unleashes in terms of yearning and
destruction, tenderness, fear, courage, and loneliness.”
Götz Spielmann

“People who look carefully think carefully too”
ANTARES / 7
An interview with Götz Spielmann by Robert Buchschwenter and Birgit Flos
Antares is a strikingly daring film project. Were you forced, nevertheless, to make
concessions of one kind or another?
For me this was the first film since the Film Academy on which I was able to work
completely uncompromisingly. Filmmaking is always the art of what is possible and in
this case the conditions were excellent. First, we had virtually no time constrictions or
pressure, I had 39 days for shooting, a luxury. Then we were lucky enough to have every
single actor be ideally casted. Shooting was a terrific experience.
Filmmaking doesn't just mean working for precision but also working against
circumstances. These can have a tremendous, sometimes harmful influence. For me
that's the most painstaking part about my work. A lot of times I am not sure whether my
consistency in the films can still be detected, whether it is still being conveyed.
What does 'being consistent' mean to you in this context?
On an inner level being consistent means that you develop an assurance, an instinct for
what you want to tell and that you work and struggle to be able to achieve that, to put
that into words, give it form, make it visible. That's something that you're ultimately –
hopefully – never going to succeed at because it's a kind of utopia that you can only
come close to in your work.
On the outer, societal level being consistent means that I try to live my life in such a way
that I uncompromisingly only do those things I can reconcile with my inner stance and
not because they promise to bring me money, success, or prestige.
Is the narrative structure of Antares – this succession of simultaneously occurring
episodes – one of many means of telling a story?
For me this structure was imperative. ANTARES is essentially about people trying to
break out of their loneliness.
That's why there are three stories that influence each other and are interconnected,
taking place at the same time – without the characters knowing it. And that's why the
stories are told one after another. A parallel montage would introduce a formal
arbitrariness; told in succession, on the other hand, the viewer experiences this
interconnectedness vicariously, discovers it as something you don't take for granted.
The structure therefore depends to a great extent on the theme and my utopian
conception in respect to this theme.
But the characters in Antares perceive their loneliness as a fact – and the film lacks
a melodramatic, cathartic turning point. So then where does the utopia come in?
I don't equate life with conscious awareness. Therefore, if for no other reason, ANTARES
is not a negative or as it is sometimes referred to a 'pessimistic' film because I don't
believe in this loneliness. The film was made from a life-affirming point of view. It's not a
film about the “impossibility of love.” Love is not an illusion but a utopia, the greatest
one ever. It keeps us alive as long as we believe in it. Even if actual reality is often
painful or disappointing.

ANTARES / 8
How crucial to the story, which is about people who are more or less doggedly
beating their heads against the wall of their loneliness, is the social environment
you've chosen, the architectural environment of this housing development in the
periphery?
Urban intellectuals have this absurd notion that the people living in these kinds of
housing developments are socially challenged. Just because I used a housing
development as my stage doesn't make ANTARES a “social drama.” That kind of thing
doesn't interest me. What I'm interested in is unfolding fantasies that stem from reality.
For me the housing development doesn't stand for socially challenged persons but rather
for the standardization of people by society – and also for the power and energy of the
individual that renounce these standardization attempts.
The three apartments, for instance, have exactly the same floor plan – which incidentally
escaped almost everyone's attention because the couples living in them are so different
in character and experience completely different conflicts. And that was another point: to
show how the individual's energy renounces social monotonization and standardization.
The apartment complex isn't a slum but rather a picture that tells us a great deal about
our society.
Can one apply this formal consistency to the actors too?
Talking about form is just about the most difficult thing in the world, but it's ultimately
also the crux. I think I've made a lot of progress in the formal direction I've been
following for quite some time – since I began my studies at the Film Academy: the
attempt to bring together authenticity and precision. That also goes for directing the
actors, where authenticity is relatively easy to get if you're willing to sacrifice precision,
and vice versa, precision can quickly hamper authentic expression.
That's basically the thin line in working with actors: how much can I tell actors so that I
get exactly what I want – and they still stay authentic and not forfeit their vitality by
following the externally administered orders of a 'policeman.'
Actually you're talking about two distinct schools: on the one hand the school of
Method Acting, where the idea is that acting should be impulsive and come from
deep within the self, and on the other hand you've got the kind of directing of actors
of a Hitchcock (or a David Mamet), who don't demand any more or less from an
actor than that they follow their instructions to a tee.
That's exactly my intent, to bring these two schools together: on the one hand to help
the actor to unfold his freedom and being, while on the other hand to incorporate the
acting into the precision of a filmic form. Choosing either one or the other is relatively
easy. Bringing both together is much more difficult – and that too is perhaps a utopia,
but at the same time it's also a great challenge.
…Free jazz with a score?
That's a good way of putting it – and of course a contradiction in itself. But that's the
great power of art to be able to disentangle contradictions in a stimulating way and hold
on to them at the same time.
How did you respond to this challenge in your specific work with the actors?
Long rehearsals, lots of preliminary work with improvisation. For example, we played out
scenes that just led up to the actual story. In the episode with Marco and Sonja, for
instance, we dealt for three whole days with the difficulties that arose from the two of
them coming from different cultures. It was clear from the start that none of that was
going to be in the actual film because it wasn't the film's focus. But in this way the actors

experienced what makes up their relationship. And through this, of course, working
together becomes charged with incredible energy.
Was this how you prepared for the very explicit sex scenes too?
ANTARES / 9
I chose actors in whom I sensed the courage and curiosity necessary for this task. I told
them I wanted them to go as far as possible, without taboos. We'd find out how far that
was when we got there.
Then for two days we talked through the scenes point by point, in complete detail and
without inhibitions, discussed every second of these scenes – completely and candidly.
What does the character feel, what gets him/her excited, why? What kind of power
relationships are at work? At what point do they change? And so on... What turned out
well – and this is what is often the problem in sex scenes – is that the actors were always
aware that they were characters, that they were playing the story and sexuality of
characters. That gives you protection, lets you take greater risks. Because of this, the
shoots were very exciting and sometimes really moving.
As far as I know you're one of the most avid users of the Vienna public libraries, you
read a lot of philosophy and talk very inspired and inspiringly about the things
you've read. Does this intellectual work affect your work as a filmmaker?
Of course. I couldn't tell you offhand how and why, but this isn't just a hobby to me – it's
part of my work, part of my life. This theoretical work mixes with seeing, experiencing,
and meditation – and through this it eventually also finds its way into my films.
Do people who think a lot see more?
It depends on how they think. There are kinds of thinking that cloud and constrict your
vision. I would turn that statement around and say: people who look carefully think
carefully too.
Are you religious?
Yes. (Pause) Normally one would add at this point: “... but I'm not Catholic,” but I'm
going to leave that out. Actually I'm surprised when people claim they're not religious.
And even more so at the fact that in public, art and artists are hardly ever examined by
critics from this standpoint. As if there were no language for it. There's something
strangely taboo about it in our society. I consider everything that has to do with
transcendence, spirituality, or religiousness to be a vital and fundamental dimension
in life.

Götz Spielmann
Author and Director
ANTARES / 10
Born in 1961 in Austria
From 1980, studies at the Vienna Film Academy
studies in directing with Axel Corti and in scriptwriting with Harald Zusanek
Sojourns in New York, Paris and Berlin
Lives and works in Vienna
During his studies he makes the award-winning features FREMDLAND (short;
1 st prize at the competition of European Film Academies 1984) and VERGISS
SNIDER (1988: Exceptional Award at the Max Ophüls-Festival, Saarbrücken)
Selected Filmography (Scriptwriter and director for all films)
2004 ANTARES
feature; 119 min.
Cast: Petra Morzé, Andreas Patton, Hary Prinz, Susanne Wuest, Dennis Cubic,
Martina Zinner, Andreas Kiendl
2001 SPIEL IM MORGENGRAUEN
(based on the novel by Arthur Schnitzler)
TV; 90 min.
Cast: Fritz Karl, Birgit Minichmayr, Karlheinz Hackl, Nina Proll
1999 THE STRANGER (DIE FREMDE)
feature; 100min.
Cast: Hary Prinz, Goya Toledo, Martin Feifel
FESTIVALS: Toronto, Moscow, Seattle, Hof, etc.
AWARDS: Austrian entry to the Academy Awards - Foreign Language Film
1994 DIE ANGST VOR DER IDYLLE
TV; 90min; Coproduction ORF/ZDF
FESTIVALS: Berlinale Panorama 1995
1993 DIESES NAIVE VERLANGEN
TV; 95min; Coproduction ORF/ZDF
AWARDS: Erich Neuberg-Award 1994
1991 DER NACHBAR
feature; 95min
FESTIVALS: San Sebastian (competition), Montreal, Hof, Bratislava, Brussels,
Saarbrücken, Strasbourg, etc.
AWARDS: San Sebastian: CICAE-Prize, FIPRESCI-mention for the remarkable
construction of an exeptional character; Bratislava: SPECIAL-Prize; Wiener
Filmpreis 1993; Goldener Kader 1994 for Best Script
1990 ERWIN UND JULIA
feature; 100min
FESTIVALS: Locarno (competition), La Baule, Triest, etc.
AWARDS: La Baule: Best Female Actress Julia Stemberger

cast
Petra Morzé (Eva)
ANTARES / 11
Born in Klagenfurt (A), Petra Morzé grew up with six brothers and sisters. After finishing
compulsory school, she went to Israel for a year, took acting lessons, and played her first
film role in “Eis am Stiel.” Immediately after receiving her acting degree at the University
of Music and Dramatic Arts Graz she played major roles at the Volkstheater Wien,
Schauspielhaus Graz, the Salzburg Festival, and the Festspiele Reichenau, before she
accepted a permanent position at the Theater in der Josefstadt. Since 2002, Petra Morzé
has had a permanent position at the Burgtheater Wien and is considered one of the most
sought-after actresses in Austria.
Among her appearances before the camera she has played in the TV series “Tatort” and
“Kommissar Rex,” as well as in the TV films “Der Hund muss weg” (D: Beverly
Blankenship) and most recently "Bella Figlia" (D: Xaver Schwarzenberger). The part of
Eva in Götz Spielmann's “Antares” is Petra Morzé's first leading role in a feature film.
Andreas Patton (Tomasz)
Andreas Patton was born in 1962 in Hünfeld (FRG), He came to Salzburg in order to
study acting at the Mozarteum and has been living and working for many years in
Vienna. He began his acting career at the Staatstheater Stuttgart, the Freie Volksbühne
Berlin, and the Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus. Parallel to stage acting Patton also began
working for TV and cinema in the late eighties, e.g. in the TV series "Medicopter 117,"
"Alarm für Cobra 11," "Stahlnetz," and "Wolffs Revier."
Peter Patzak got Patton to act for him his TV series "Polizeiruf 110 – Gelobtes Land" and
"Der Mörder in dir,", in 1999 Curt Faudon casted him in the TV thriller "Feuerteufel."
Andreas Patton worked with director Michael Kreihsl in “The Long Rain,” a film project
commissioned by the Steirischer Herbst 2000, and also played in “NOGO” (D: Sabine
Hiebler). The part of Tomasz in “Antares” is his first leading role in a feature film.
Hary Prinz (Alfred)
Born in 1965 in Vienna (A), Hary Prinz started studying biology, psychology, and German
philology before discovering his calling as an actor via the circuitous route of performing
in a successful group of comedians founded by himself. As an actor he played on stages
such as Stadttheater St. Gallen, Gruppe 80, Schauspielhaus Wien, and Volkstheater
Wien, and in 2000 he played his first leading role in a feature film: in Götz Spielmann's
“The Stranger.”
This part was followed by further film roles ("Andreas Hofer – The Freedom of the Eagle,”
D: Xaver Schwarzenberger, “The Poet,” D: Paul Hills) and countless TV series, e.g.
"SOKO Kitzbühel," "Kommissar Rex," "Der letzte Zeuge," and in 2002 the leading role in
the TV drama "Swabian Children" (D: Jo Baier). Most recently Hary Prinz played in Franz
Antel's “Bockerer IV- Prague Spring” and in the Italian TV production "Al di la delle
frontiere" (Beyond the borders, D: Maurizio Zaccaro).

Susanne Wuest (Sonja)
ANTARES / 12
Susanne Wuest grew up as one of three children close to Baden near Vienna (A) and
received a comprehensive artistic education from early childhood on.
Her first stage appearances in 1995 were followed by her first film roles, which she used
to finance further training in the USA. The part of Sonja is Susanne Wuest's first leading
role in a feature film.
Dennis Cubic (Marco)
Born in 1978 in Frankfurt/Main (FRG), where he grew up bilingual – Croatian and German
– Dennis Cubic came to Vienna in 2000 to study acting at the Max Reinhardt Seminar.
His first role in front of the camera was a recent appearance in the TV police series
“Tatort.” The part of Marco in “Antares” is Dennis Cubic's first leading role in a feature
film.
Martina Zinner (Nicole)
Martina Zinner was born in 1972 in Graz (A). She completed her studies in her
hometown, and went to Leipzig for a year before earning her degree in acting in 1994. In
addition she also studied classical voice at the Music University Graz for one year. Since
1993, Martina Zinner has been a member of the independent ensemble Theater im
Bahnhof (TiB) in Graz. Following a brief appearance in the TV film version of Arthur
Schnitzler's “Spiel im Morgengrauen” (D: Götz Spielmann) and a mini part in
“Nacktschnecken” (D: Michael Glawogger) the part of Nicole in “Antares” is her first big
role in a feature film.
Andreas Kiendl (Alex)
Born in 1975 in Graz (A), Andreas Kiendl started studying chemical engineering before he
decided to study acting at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts Graz. The
multitalented artist Andreas Kiendl has extensive theater experience: as composer, actor,
and director. His first role in front of the camera was in the TV production “The Arrest of
Johann Nepomuk Nestroy” (D: Dieter Berner) and in the feature “Nacktschnecken” (D:
Michael Glawogger). The part of Alex in “Antares” is his first leading role in a feature film.

team
Martin Gschlacht (Cinematography)
ANTARES / 13
Born in 1969 in Vienna (A)
Studied industrial management before turning to camera and production at the Vienna
Film Academy
Since the early 1990s cameraman for numerous Austrian feature-, TV- and industry films
Founding member of coop 99, a film production company based in Vienna (together with
Barbara Albert, Jessica Hausner and Antonin Svoboda)
Selected Filmography:
Phettberg's nette Leit-Show (1995, TV-series), Medicopter (1997, TV-series), , MA 2412
(1999, TV-series), Dolce Vita & Co (2000, TV-series)
feature films (selection):
1999: Luna Papa (D: Bachtiar Chudojnazarov)
2002: Lovely Rita (D: Jessica Hausner)
2003: Böse Zellen (D: Barbara Albert) , Kaltfront (D: Valentin Hitz)
2004: Antares (D. Götz Spielmann), Hotel (D: Jessica Hausner)
In 2004 Martin Gschlacht participated in the European film project by Zentropa (Lars van
Trier) consisting of 25 short films by 25 European directors.
Ekkehart Baumung (Sound)
Born in 1948 in Graz (A)
has worked with many Austrian and German directors since the late 1970ies, e.g. Peter
Patzak (“Kassbach” 1978), Walter Bannert (“Die Erben” 1982, “Herzklopfen”, 1984),
Werner Herzog (“Bayreuth” 1993, “Gesualdo" 1995, “Escape from Chaos – Little Dieter
needs to fly” 1997), Ulrich Seidl (“Good News” 1990, “Mit Verlust ist zu rechnen” 1992,
“Tierische Liebe” 1995, “Models” 1999, “Hundstage” 2001), Michael Glawogger
(“Megacities” 1998, "Frankreich, wir kommen” 1999, “Zur Lage” 2002), Andrea Dusl
(“Blue Moon” 2002) and Götz Spielmann (“Antares”, 2004)
Katharina Wöppermann (Production design)
Born in 1962 in Vienna (A)
since the 1980ies costume and production designer/architect for film and theatre
Selected Filmography:
1987: Drechenfutter (D. Jan Schütte)
1990: Winkelmanns Reisen (D. Jan Schütte)
1994: Höhenangst (Houchang Allahyari )
1996: Tempo (D: Stefan Ruzowitzky), Schwarzfahrer (D. Nikolaus Leytner)
1997: Fette Welt (D. Jan Schütte), Das Trio (D: Hermine Huntgeburth)
1998: Fink fährt ab (Harald Sicheritz)
1999: Abschied (D. Jan Schütte), Nordrand (D: Barbara Albert)
2000: Lovely Rita (D: Jessica Hausner)
2001: Spiel im Morgengrauen (D. Götz Spielmann)
2003: Böse Zellen (D: Barbara Albert), Donau (D: Goran Rebic)
2003/04: Antares (D: Götz Spielmann), Hotel (D. Jessica Hausner)

Thomas Olah (Costume design)
ANTARES / 14
Born in 1966 in Vienna (A)
studies at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, master class Vivienne Westwood
since 1987 own fashion studio in Vienna
since 1992 works for Austrian and international theatre, opera, film and TV productions
1999 “Wien Couture”-Award
Selected Filmography:
1994: Ich gelobe
1997: The Red Violine
1999: Kubanisch Rauchen
2000: Die Gottesanbeterin
2001: Spiel im Morgengrauen
2001/02: Poppitz
2002: Ravioli
2003: MA 2412 – Die Staatsdiener
2004: Antares
in production: “Therese Raquin” (D: Charlie Stratton; after Emile Zola)
Karina Ressler (Editor)
Born in 1957 in Villach (A)
Studied editing at the Vienna Film Academy
Since 1985 editor for numerous Austrian and German feature and TV-films
Selected Filmography:
1997: In-Schwimmen-Zwei-Vögel (D: Kurt Palm)
1999: Slidin’ - Alles bunt und wunderbar (D: Barbara Albert, Reinhard Jud,
Michael Grimm), The Virigin (D: Diego Donnhofer)
2000: Ternitz Tennessee (D: Mirjam Unger)
2001:Vollgas (D: Sabine Derflinger)
2002: Blue Moon (D. Andrea Dusl), Zur Lage (D: B. Albert, M. Glawogger, U. Seidl, M.
Sturminger)
2003: Weg in den Süden (D: Reinhard Jud), Donau (D. Goran Rebic), Hurensohn (D:
Michael Sturminger)
2003/04: Antares (D: Götz Spielmann), Hotel (D: Jessica Hausner)
Walter W. Cikan (Music)
Born in 1965 in Vienna (A), musician, composer and producer
After studying violin at the Vienna Music Conservatory foundation of the Sound
studio/Label Matterhorn Produktion together with Edie Siblik; between 1989 and 2002
numerous music productions, e.g. with/for. Hansi Lang, Günther "Mo" Mokesch, Atomic
Bishop, Christine Stürmer etc.
Since 2000 cooperation with Christian Brandauer (theatre productions) and Marnix
Veenenbos (film music)
Selected Filmography:
1998: Beasty Girl
1999: Die Fremde
2000: Heimspiel
2003: Kaltfront, YU
2004: Nacktschnecken, C®ook, Antares

producers
Lotus-Film (Production company)
ANTARES / 15
Founded in 1982 by Erich Lackner, Lotus specialized in outdoor-sport films and political
documentaries until the 1990ies, when the focus was shifted to sophisticated feature
films and television-features. Today LOTUS-Film is among the leading Austrian producers
of art-house films and movie documentaries.
LOTUS-Film’s biggest success so far has been Barbara Albert’s feature debut “Nordrand”
(1999) - Best New Actress Award for Nina Proll (Venice 1999) and Austrian contribution
to the 72nd Annual Academy Awards - Foreign Language Film. Films like “Megacities”
(Michael Glawogger, A/CH1998) - first Austrian film at Sundance Film festival (USA) - as
well as the European co-productions
“A Specialist” (Eyal Sivan, F/D/B/A 1999) and “Viehjud Levi” (Didi Danquart, D/CH/A
1999) attracted interest far beyond the Austrian borders.
Since 1995 company LOTUS-Film has also been closely connected with the awardwinning
films by the Austrian filmmaker Ulrich Seidl (“Animal Love”, “Losses to be
Expected”).
In 2001 LOTUS-Film produced the TV-film “Spiel im Morgengrauen/Play in the Dawn”; D:
Götz Spielmann) based on the novel by Arthur Schnitzler. More recently LOTUS-Film
went far into the European East with “Blue Moon” (A 2002), a road-movie by Andrea Dusl
and “Donau, Duna, Dunaj, Dunav, Dunarea” (Goran Rebic, A 2003, in competition at IFF
San Sebastian 2003).
At present the “Workingman´s Death” (essay-film, A/D; D: Michael Glawogger) and
“Wasser” (feature-length doc, A/LUX; D: Udo Maurer) are in production and in preproduction
the features “Kotsch” (Carl Mayer-Script Award for Gregor Stadlober) and
“Slumming” (Michael Glawogger).
Teamfilm (Co-production company)
Teamfilm was founded in Vienna in 1971 by Wulf Flemming. Major productions by the
company were the first film directed by Xaver Schwarzenberger “Der stille Ozean/The
Silent Ocean,” which won the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. A year later
Schwarzenberger's second film as a director “Donauwalzer/Waltzes of the Danube” was
awarded the Bronze Leopard at Locarno. Other important films were Fritz Lehner's
legendary made-for-TV movies “Schöne Tage” and the Schubert trilogy “Mit meinen
heißen Tränen.” The feature film “Tunnelkind” (Erhard Riedlsperger) and “Die
Fremde/The Stranger” (Götz Spielmann) were shown at major festivals. Teamfilm has
produced several made-for-TV movies by Xaver Schwarzenberger (most recently in 2004
“Zuckeroma”) and the Polt series, TV crime films (written and directed by Julian R.
Pölsler) that have been very popular in Austria : “Polt muß weinen,” “Blumen für Polt,”
“Himmel, Polt und Hölle,” and “Polterabend”).
In pre-production is “Die Villen der Frau Hürsch” (written and directed by Julian R.
Pölsler), the first film of a TV tetralogy for the Austrian and the Bavarian Broadcasting
Corporations.