THE WALDHEIM WALTZ
DCP/HD • COLOR/B&W • 2018 • AUSTRIA • 93'
A film by Ruth Beckermann
A film about truth and lies and how a dishonest man can rise to power. Ruth Beckermann documents the process of uncovering former UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim’s wartime past. It shows the swift succession of new allegations by the World Jewish Congress during his Austrian presidential campaign, the denial by the Austrian political class, the outbreak of anti-Semitism and patriotism, which finally led to his election. Created from international archive material and what Beckermann shot at the time, the film shows that history repeats itself time and time again.
Produced by Ruth Beckermann Film Produktion
Original languages: German, English, French
Ruth Beckermann was born in Vienna where she also spent her childhood. After her studies in journalism and history of art in Vienna, Tel Aviv and New York, she took her degree as Dr.phil in 1977 at the University of Vienna. She since contributed as a journalist to several Austrian and Swiss magazines. In 1978 she (co-)founded the distribution company filmladen in which she was active for seven years. In this period Ruth Beckermann started to make films and to write books. Since 1985 she works as a writer and filmmaker. Her film THE DREAMED ONES was selected at many international festivals and won several awards.
Distributors: Filmladen (Austria) • Arte • Menemsha Films (North America) • VPRO (Netherlands) • Turn Key Film (Scandinavia) • ELF Pictures (Hungary) • RSI (Italy) • Tricontinental (Ex-Yougoslavia) • KAN (Israël) • Channel 8 (Israël)
Festivals: Berlinale 2018 - Forum Section • Thessaloniki Doc FF • Cinéma Du Réel • Sheffiled DocFest • Bafici • Docaviv • Moscow IFF • Playdoc • Millenium Docs Against Gravity • Eurasia IFF • DMZ International Documentary Film Festival • New York FF • Stockholm IFF • IDFA
Awards: Glaschütte Original Documentary Award, Berlinale 2018 • Best Film, Playdoc 2018