AUSTRIAN FILM FESTIVAL 2026 • Friday, April 17

18:00 IT’S ALL GOING SOUTH / ALTWEIBERSOMMER
Austria, 2025, 94’
Director: Pia Hierzegger
Cast: Ursula Strauss, Pia Hierzegger, Diana Amft…

Three women in their late forties, an unexpected treasure, and a spontaneous trip to Venice. What begins as a nostalgic camping holiday for three former roommates turns into a turbulent journey of self-discovery and a renewed sense of closeness between them. This is an intelligent and moving comedy with unexpected twists, offering a gentle look at people and instilling hope that, with courage, even deeply ingrained patterns of life can be broken. In her feature debut, the director and screenwriter –who also appears as one of the actresses – offers an optimistic and relaxed perspective on life, placing her protagonists in Venice, a tourist holy grail, where they can reflect from a distance on their family relationships, life choices, and on one another. A road movie to enjoy and reflect upon.

20:00 THE STORIES
Austria, 2025, 111’
Director: Abu Bakr Shawky
Cast: Amir El-Masry, Valerie Pachner, Nelly Karim…

Having pen pals was the dating platform of the 1970s – at least for Abu Bakr Shawky’s parents, who grew closer through an exchange of letters between Vienna and Cairo. Over the course of nearly twenty years, the Egyptian-Austrian filmmaker explores personal and historical narratives, centered on the story of his own family, while political events unfold in the background. Nostalgic in style and humorous in tone, the film is a tragicomic tale of love, loss, and the ever-turning wheel of history.

Festivals / Awards: 41st Love International Film Festival in Mons  – Grand Prix for Best Film and Best Director; Diagonale Festival – Audience Award…

Tickets: 400 din