Bildrausch Filmfest Basel 9, Catalogue 2019

In early 2016, Austrian politicians become fearful.
They are afraid that the “refugee invasion”, which is on
its way via the Balkan route into the European Union,
could bury the small Alpine republic underneath it.
Preventive and populist measures are taken, or rather:
intended, or rather: planned; or at the very least considered.
Ironically, it is on the Brenner pass, a geo-ethno-politically
highly sensitive border, which has always been
fairly open, that a fence is to be erected. The ensuing
uproar is to be expected. But the Austrian documentary
filmmaker Geyrhalter enters into the fray with his usual
calmness, looks around, and documents. Along the
Brenner pass, he walks to and fro between North and
South Tyrol, between Austria and Italy, talking to hunters,
ski hut managers, Senegalese construction workers,
dairy transporters and organic farmers. The plurality of
voices and opinions paints a picture that embraces far
more than just the small region from where they originate:
The Border Fence is not just about Europe’s isolationist
policies, but about global power relations and the
essence of humanity. And all this using a few meters of
wire mesh fence as its starting point… a typical Geyrhalteresque
achievement. (as)
· Die bauliche Massnahme
(The Border Fence)
· Austria 2018
· 112 min. Colour. DCP. DE/en
· Director, Screenplay, Cinematography:
Nikolaus Geyrhalter
· Editing: Emily Artmann, Gernot Grassl
· Producers: Markus Glaser,
Wolfgang Widerhofer,
Michael Kitzberger, Nikolaus Geyrhalter
· Contact: Austrian Films,
Vienna, www.austrianfilms.com
11
THU 20.6. 14:15
Stadtkino Basel
SAT 22.6. 15:15
Stadtkino Basel
In attendance of Nikolaus Geyrhalter
DIE BAULICHE MASSNAHME