YU - Novotny & Novotny

presents
YU
a film by
Franz Novotny
www.yu-film.at
www.novotnyfilm.at

YU
Austria 2002
35mm, colour
Length: 84 min
Realized with means of
the Austrian Film Institute
Filmfonds Wien, CINEMA DESIGN &
equity capital of NOVOTNY & NOVOTNY film production
FESTIVALS:
Fantasporto - Oporto International Film Festival
XXV Moscow International Film Festival 2003
Diagonale 2003
PRODUCTION:
NOVOTNY & NOVOTNY Filmproduktion GmbH
Weimarerstr. 22, A-1180 Wien
T: (+43 1) 478 71 70; F: (+43 1) 478 71 70 – 20
e-mail: kino@novotnyfilm.at
FILM DISTRIBUTION AUSTRIA:
POLYFILM VERLEIH, Margaretenstraße 78, 1050 Wien
T: +43 1 581 39 00 20; F: +43 1 581 39 00 39,
e-mail: polyfilm@polyfilm.at

YU
SYNOPSIS
„YU“ relates of the adventures and experiences of three spoilt „thirty
something“ Buddies, who involuntarily find themselves caught up in
civil unrest.
Three guys, drugs, women, a Porsche and a bet.
They thought, they could conquer it all.
but then it turns out to be otherwise ...

DIRECTORS STATEMENT
„YU“ – a charade
At first it is only a bet and a joyride with the wife’s
Porsche. Than it starts to become an adventure – a journey in a
disruptive land which is tiddled with combatants and chiselers.
It´s also a story about the break up of male’s friendships.
Why Yugoslavia?
Mere chance, strictly speaking cause of bonnily female hitchhiker
looking for a lift to Krk - an island.
SONJA (Ana Maljevits), an actress, who has been cut out of all films
and who becomes the object of desire – and of crises - of the three
young men.
CHRIS (André Eisermann), an allegedly successful man in his late
30s, with relationship to wife / girlfriend.
TOM (Gedeon Burkhardt), a cool barman, apparently indifferent to
relations, and
ALEX (David Scheller), who gets by somehow as a “belletrist“.
The three men can get out of delicate situations by means of jokes and
manoeuvres – at home.
However, the crisis in the foreign country brings everything to the
point – there where there is no tourism anymore.
There is the sports car for DM 250,000 – the grotesque antithesis to
the monthly salaries of DM 100. That triggers off criminal energy.

YU
And it is the confrontation of three young Europeans with men from
the South-East and the real "machismo".
These "men" from former Yugoslavia show different, outdated
characteristics – thus, in conflict situations, they are superior to the
half-men shaped by the West. ’Men are men and women are women.‘
Will the three buddies remain softies or will they use the adventures,
the tests as opportunities to change their lives – provided they still
have one in the end?
What’s the stimulus – and the question?
Tests of courage. Characters pass or fail in unusual situations.
Tests of life. Hope after purification.
Confrontation of two civilisations.
To be able to behave like millionaires,
to act as freaky noisy proles. And,
when the check arrives, the price that
has to be paid for it.

CHRIS, about 30, zeitgeist..., sports car driver
Chris: my house: full paid-up next year. appreciation: 300%. The daughter:
american school. My wife – of course, I don’t have a picture of my girlfriend.
Yes – I’m not getting a raw deal and the best is that ...
Chris: Bullshit. Of course, I won´t be a good diplomat. I´m too direct. Do you
want to know the truth? My wife she owns a boutique and I´m the chief of the
phone-central of the department of foreign affaires. A bosh, which is living of
his wife’s money and of the girlfriends ones.
ALEX, end 20, a kind looser
Alex: Yes, sorry... I’m not able to accomplish anything. The others are much
more better than me. Bitter. You have to cope with it: if they make toilet paper
out of it -
( he points at the tattered books of Thomas Bernhard) what will they do with my
books – which even doesn’t exist – I’m in luck that they don’t exist.
TOM, end 20, waiter in an „in“ bar, darling of the womenfolk
Tom: God speed you, I won’t be like you. Corny, hm? Always before I had to
elect anything, thus either way, if anything else will happen, I was always Tom.
SONJA, mid 20, Starlet from Krk
Sonja: I’m nothing anymore, nowhere, they stole my life; a lot of young people,
as me – they are here without any chance, in this big concentration camp.
What resides? The present? You? The southeast.
Invalid: Ivan. Croatian. Dangerous. He also wants a bar.
And home of Serbs. As a Serb - understand ?
(clarifying:) Here Wild West. We Indians – this (Ivan) General Custer (she
makes a gesture of chopping of the neck)
Chris: (to Alex who is totally stunned)
„They are all a little bit nuts.“

The film was made 2001-2002 under
very bright circumstances in
Montenegro. The service producer
from Belgrade – an unicum– who
promised us under „holy oaths“ to
do all the things necessary for the
shoot, provided however less or
better nothing of the requisites
needed and what he brought was from the garbage dump and should
cost ten times more than agreed before.
Leaving Montenegro for the team and the producer
(who was blackmailed for ransom) only worked out by diplomatic
interventions (by Zoran Djindjic himself).
Nevertheless quite something as brilliant Serbian actors, solidarity of
the team and the good feeling, that the team and the film got home
safe.
This film was the second film after „The Punishment“ by Goran Rebic
of totally five films we produced in Ex-Yugoslavia;
The third one, „O11 Beograd“, by Michael Pfeifenberger, which was
now at the film festival „Max Ophuels Price“ Saarbrücken and another
two, this time films shooted in bosnia-herzogowina: „Firestarter“ and
„Summer in the golden valley“ are in postproduction.
That´s about the size of it ...
Franz Novotny

YU
SCREENPLAY EXCERPTS YU
Mock/Genscher BAR, PORSCHE O/D
DARKO chucks away his cigarette into the dust, opens for IVAN
the door of the police-car. They leave. Dust cloud. ANTE
scrubs the Porsche again. TOM comes out of the pub, looking
around. He sees SONJA, she had covert herself in a cranny to
watch IVAN driving away, comes out of her cranny now. SONJA
leans on the wall and fights with herself. Helplessness. TOM
stands beside her, but doesn´t touch her.
SONJA
You´ve to bring me away. Now !
TOM hugs her. He grasps – hopping she doesn´t chip it - into
her jacket pocket to haul out the cocaine. Suddenly SONJA sees
the packet falling out his hands. She picks it up and looks at
him very angry. She´s opening the packet und blows the cocaine
into his face.
SONJA
(laughs angrily )
You´ve putted it into my pocket
before we were passing over the
boarder. Arsehole.
You fucking arsehole !!
She goes away. TOM abolishes quickly the packet, shouts at
her.
TOM
(Hypocritical) I wanted to ask
you if you also want a little
line?
SONJA turns around and looks at Tom for a time. Suddenly:
SONJA
Doesn´t matter. You´re a big.
Come. Women are stupid. Man is
big..
TOM
Would it function... ?

SONJA
What ?
TOM
With ... with...
SONJA
Us?! You don´t know me at all.
Silence. TOM contemplative looking to the pub.
TOM looks to the pub.
SONJA
DRAGAN ? This was before the
war.
TOM
I thought, here´s no war.
SONJA
Exactly.
DRAGAN (OFF SHOUTING )
Why are you staring at me ?!
DRAGAN (OFF)
Why are you staring at me?
CHRIS perplex looking at him, shakes his head.
CHRIS looking for help.
DRAGAN
(baffling) Listen. I killed
this enemies in my territory.
But not in their territory. I`m
a soldier. I am not a killer.
CHRIS
(to Dragan ) Sonja...outside...
DRAGAN
If I like you, I like you. If I
not like you, I cut your throat
! I give you the brother test.
Don`t be afraid.
CHRIS
( quiet, ) Stop it. Listen, you
dumb cluck, I´m totally broken,
private bankruptcy, could you
please... Look, Sonja,
outside..

DRAGAN takes a big knife, and bears it up on chrises throat.
Looks into his eyes. CHRIS becomes scared . After a while
DRAGAN catapults the knife into a corner. He stays beside Tom.
DRAGAN
Now you see.
He´s laying his arms on Chris shoulder.
DRAGAN
Now you know how it feels. War
is not good. Brother !
CHRIS
I ´m from Austria.
DRAGAN
(laughs... ) Heil Hitler.
He heaves his glass, CHRIS as well.
Outside: SONJA walks around to calm down herself.
DRAGAN(OFF FROM INDOOR, LAUGHING)
Heil Hitler !
TOM looks from the pub to SONJA. She shows him a gesture that
he shouldn´t worry about it.
SONJA
That´s it. – You do not count
more than me. Is that a deal ?
TOM
OK ?
CHRIS comes – trying to get rid of him - with DRAGAN out of
the pub..
DRAGAN
(brotherly) Blood all over
these Liars. They say we roast
babies for barbecue
CHRIS
I am not so interested in
politics
CHRIS wipes away the sweat from his brow, to free himself out
of DRAGANs embracing. Dragan sees TOM and grabs him on his
collar.
DRAGAN
Maybe I not like you !

ALEX tries to calm down DRAGAN, by calling him to invite him
for a beer.
ALEX
Here: Hitler beer !
DRAGAN takes amazed-amused about the word-joke a gulp of his
beer, pours the rest of it over his head - looks at Tom and
laughs and leaves him alone. TOM had to control his feelings
to stay impassive across DRAGAN. CHRIS is scared.
Suddenly DRAGAN grasps TOMs neck,
DRAGAN:
SOLDAT says: Soldier say: I am
at War – where are you?
ALEX
You dancing beautiful...
DRAGAN:
Ivan. Ivan – Balkan, he's
Ustascha...
CHRIS
Who is Ustascha ?
DRAGAN
You are from moon? Serb,
Croatian, Muslim – all together
in former times.
CHRIS
And Chinese...
DRAGAN
All! With Tito, niema
problema...
ALEX
Tito is dead...
DRAGAN laughs and the other guests of the bar laugh with him
DRAGAN
(groans ) head heavy... (he is
even more stupid...)
The whole bar is laughing. LJUBISA at the
entrance. Looking at DRAGAN
CHRIS:
(to Alex who is totally
stunned)
„They are all a little bit
nuts...!!!!“

YU
FRANZ NOVOTNY
Franz Novotny, Producer – after doing several films as director
and director for commercials he founded the Novotny & Novotny
film production company with his wife Karin Novotny in 1995.
The aim of the business:
To add to collaboration with first-class authors, directors and
miscellaneous creatives; extension of the international cross-linking
with co-production partners. Commercial focuses the best camera-people and
directors, laboured extraordinary looks and top - technique and allows a high
account for the production of films.
Addition of business volume in the last years, production of more than hundred
commercials, production of divers movies and documentaries for the national
and European market, beside TV-productions.
Education: „Academy of Fine Arts“ - Prof. Josef Mikl.
Painter (mag. arte)
Favourite work: Feature Films, TV-Series, Commercials
Feature Films:
Staatsoperette, 1977 Musical Comedy
EXIT - Nur keine Panik, 1979 Comedy
Die Ausgesperrten, 1982 Melodram
Die Spitzen der Gesellschaft, 1988 Melodram
EXIT II – Verklärte Nacht, 1995 Comedy
Nachtfalter, 1999 Feature Film
YU, 2002 Feature Film
Commercials: ÖBB, SPÖ, Zentralsparkasse, Kreisky, Zilk, SPÖ Ländle, Vranitzky, Steyr, Impulse, MEN -
Zigaretten, Römerquelle, Hagan, Holstein Pils, Wiener, Jour et Nuit, IBM, Ferrero, CABV , BP, Ajax, Philipps,
Tesa, Suchard etc. etc.
Activities in Germany, Switzerland, France
Prices: Löwe Cannes Bronze, Clio N.Y., Berliner Klappe, 1. Preis Genfer Militärfilmfestival, Schweizer
Werbepreis, mehrere Goldene Veneri des Creativ Clubs Austria, drei Österr. Staatspreise, Goldene
Verdienstmedaille der Stadt Wien
Functions: 1985: Foundation DACHVERBANDES DER ÖSTERREICHISCHEN FILMSCHAFFENDEN,
Obmann 1993: Präsident der VERWERTUNGSGESELLSCHAFT DER ÖSTERREICHISCHEN
FILMSCHAFFENDEN ( VDFS ) Seit 1992 im Vorstand der Gewerkschaft Kunst Medien & freie Berufe, 1989
- 95 in Auswahlkommission und Kuratorium des WIENER FILMFINANZIERUNGSFONDS 1995 Gründung
der Novotny & Novotny Filmproduktion Wien.
Produces Commercials, u.a.: Bank Austria, Impulse, Cosmos, diverse Mobilkom, Auer, Klassenlotterie,
Memphis auf den Hund gekommen, Rumkokos Cosmos, Billiger kaufen,
Prices: CCA: Goldene Venus, Werbetrommel, Bester österr. Werbefilm
Feature Film Productions:
Slidin...alles bunt und wunderbar
The Punishment
Nachtfalter (Escort Service)
YU
011 Beograd (based on „Survival in the City“)
Gori Vatra –Feuer!

André Eisermann
Film works
YU
1989 Sag mal aah ... Celino Bleiweiss TV series
1990 Go Trabi Go Peter Timm cimena
1992 Durst Martin Weinhart cimena
1993 Kaspar Hauser Peter Sehr cimena
1995 Schlafes Bruder Josef Vilsmaier cimena
1996 Das Schloß Michael Haneke cimena
1998 Rot wie das Blut Markus Fischer TV
1999 Getting ready in Topanga Percy Adlon TV
2000 Dog Shit (Hawaiian Gardens) Percy Adlon cimena
2001 Yu Franz Novotny cimena
2002 Die Nibelungen Dieter Wedel TV
Theatre works
1987 Theater in der Josefstadt Wien first rehearsal experiences
mit Axel Corti
1989 Kammerspiele München
Kaspar/Hans Joachim Ruckhebele
1990 Kammerspiele München
Viktor oder die Kinder an die Macht/Anna Badora
1990 Bayrisches Staatsschauspiel
Fegefeuer in Ingolstadt/Edwin Noél
1991 Bayrisches Staatsschauspiel
Frühlingserwachen/Amelie Niermaier
1992 Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden
Volksvernichtung oder meine Leber ist sinnlos/Annekret Ritzel
1994 Thalia Theater Hamburg
Dilirium/George Tabori
1995 Thalia Theater Hamburg
Die heilige Johanna der Schlachthöfe/Ruth Berghaus
1996 Salzburger Festspiele
Sommernachtstraum/Leander Haußmann

1996 Niedersächsisches Staatstheater Hannover
Die falsche Zofe/Armin Holz
1998 Zirkus Roncalli Berlin
Die Zauberflöte/George Tabori
1998 Tournee
Hommage an das fahrende Volk/André Eisermann
Musikalische Leitung: Jakob Vinje
1999 Deutsche Oper Berlin
Ein Sommernachtstraum (Ballett)/Heinz Spoerli
1999 Tournee
Goethe-Werther–Eisermann/André Eisermann
Musikalische Leitung: Jakob Vinje
2000 Vereinigte Bühnen Wien/Ronacher
F@lco A Cybershow/Paulus Manker
2002 Nibelungen Festspiele Worms
Die Nibelungen/Dieter Wedel
Prices/awards
Brozener Leopard
International Film Festival Locarno (Kaspar Hauser)
Bayrischer Filmpreis (Kaspar Hauser)
Bundesfilmpreis (Kaspar Hauser)
Ehrennadel in Silber
Schlafes Bruder was nominated as best foreign film for the Golden Globe
Award.

YU
Gedeon Burkhart
He decided already as a young boy to become an actor.
At the age of 10 he started acting and he played the
leading parts in two famous effective german films
"Kleine Haie" (directed by Sönke Wortmann) and
"Abgeschminkt" (directed by Katja von Garnier). The
most important work in his actors-childhood was "Blut
und Ehre - Jugend unter Hitler" (directed by Bernd Fischerauer), a film that
allocated a lot of prices all over the world.
Filmographie:
YU (2002)
Zwei Affären und eine Hochzeit (2002)
The Brylcreem Boys (1999)
Gefährliche Lust - Ein Mann in Versuchung (1998) (TV)
2 Männer, 2 Frauen - 4 Probleme!? (1998)
"Kommissar Rex" (1994)
Magenta (1996)
Polizeiruf 110 - Die Gazelle (1996) (TV)
Wem gehört Tobias? (1995)
Affären (1994)
"La Piovra 7" (1994)
Verliebt, verlobt, verheiratet (1994) (TV)
Abgeschminkt! (1993)
Mein Mann ist mein Hobby (1993) (TV)
Sommerliebe (1993) (TV)
Kleine Haie (1992)
"The New Adventures of Black Beauty" (1990)
Sípová Ruzenka (1990)
Zwei Frauen (1989
Der Passagier - Welcome to Germany (1988)
"La Piovra" (1984)
Tante Maria (1981) (TV)

David Scheller
Filmographie:
2000 Tamara, directed by Michael Gutmann
2000 So lange wir leben, directed by Olaf Kreinsen
2000 Schimanski - Die Drücker, directed by Andreas Kleinert
2000 Eine Hand voll Glück, directed by Christine Balthasar
1999 Zwei Brüder - Der Schwur, directed by Lars Becker
1999 Zärtliche Sterne, directed by Julian Roman Pölsler
1998 Kanak Attack, directed by Lars Becker
1998 Explodiert, directed by Werner Kranwetvogel
1997 SK-Babies, directed by Georg Schlemann
1997 Westend, directed by Chris Valentien and Antej Farac
1997 When dreams take over..., directed by J. Reich
1993 Die Kommissarin – Jugendsünden, directed by Erwin Keusch
1993 TATORT - Klassen-Kampf, directed by Friedemann Fromm
1992 Geteilte Nacht, directed by P. Morger
Theater:
1990 Schule mit Clowns, directed by W. Anraths
1990 Der Klassenfeind, directed by M. Courtourier
1990 Rocky´s Crazy Horror Show, directed by M. Baran
1990 Romeo & Julia, directed by J. Zoerner-Erb
YU

YU
Ana Maljevic
Education:
University of Belgrad - Acting
Centre De Danse International
"ROSELLA HIGHTOWER - classical ballet"
Course Comedia Dell´Arte - FERRUCIO SOLERI
Filmographie:
2002 YU / directed by Franz Novotny
2000 Zenski rodoslov / directed by Gorcin Stojanovic
2000 Mrtav ladan / directed by Dragan Milinkovic
Theatre:
Schuhe aus Känguruleder / leading part / directed by A. Milutinovic
Viktor oder die Kinder an die Macht / directed by Roze Vitrak
Serbische Dramen / directed by Sinisa Kovacevic
Der Brief über den Kaiser und die Nachtigall / directed by Igor Bojovic
Der Tod von Uros dem Fünften / directed by Mira Erceg
Nächstes Jahr zur gleichen Zeit / directed by Predrag Sojmenovic
Hobit / Choreographie
Der Brief an den großen Diktator / Choreographie
Klupa / Choreographie

CREW
Director: Franz Novotny
Service Producer: F. Fleischhaker
Bernhard Seiter
Franz Novotny
Producer: Karin & Franz Novotny
Cinema Design
Director of Photography: Andreas Hutter
Sound Design: Bruno Popov
Film Editor: Cordula Werner
Harald Aue
Music: Franz Bodi
Production Design: Nicola Bercek
Costume Design: Nicole Fischnaller
Jelena Andjelkovic
Production Manager: Josef Platt
YU

TOM Gedeon Burkhard
CHRIS André Eisermann
ALEX David Scheller
SONJA Ana Maljevic
ANTE Vanja Ejdus
IVAN Dejan Lutkic
DARKO Rale Milenkovic
Special Guests:
LJUBISA Ljubisa Samardzic
DRAGAN Nikola Djuicko
JELENA Ana Stefanovic
CAST

YU press clipping
YU
“YU” is a leftover from the word “Yugoslavia”. There was once such a country
but it is fast sinking into oblivion right in front of our eyes. There is no need to
explain to our contemporaries what “Balkan disturbance“ means. Everyone set
against everyone, chaos giving rise to chaos. The Austrian director Franz
Novotny chose not to dig too deep into the causes of the events, it was the
situation itself that attracted him. Those antiworlds found on the other side of the
binoculars are a miracle to the sensitive European. They frightened and attracted
him.
Three fast-living friends with a Porsche drive from Austria to Trieste where they
find themselves in the midst of Serbo-Croatian conflict. Everything seems
unstable, unpredictable, and illogical. The principal danger is not the sudden
artillery fire but the inadequate reactions and actions of the locals. The feeling of
general inadequacy is probably the strongest point in the picture. It is not
madness, which after all possesses its own legible motivation, even though it is
perverted, but a tumult of conflicting logics. Common sense is debased and
disgraced, irresponsibility and absence of control triumph. Do whatever you
like, everything is permitted. Total liberty intoxicates and turns the heads of the
three foreigners.
Thirty-year-old men once again become teenagers who are thrilled by children`s
war games but not by the fatal Russian roulette. Each of the three friends
indulges in his infantilism in his own way. Some enjoy hedonism – local
beauties abound, food and drink is free. Others are charmed by the opportunity
to try any base adventure. The most well-built and positive of them all (he could
appear on the cover of “Men`s Health”) falls in love with a local girl. And
enjoys his childishly overwhelming love. Their instincts of self-preservation
hibernate. Until there appears the obligatory bad guy who has no patience with
the foreigners…
Franz Novotny`s first profession is a designer. The knowledge of how to set up a
comfortable environment distinguishes his directorial style. He has more
difficulty tackling characters and keeps getting functions, schemes, symbols
instead of flesh-and-blood people. It is quite acceptable in a metaphoric movie,
though. And that is what “YU” is.