06/06/2024 - Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala’s dark Berlinale hit and Adrian Goiginger’s emotional drama about a musician have bagged eight and four awards, respectively

The 14th Austrian Film Awards, taking place this year at Vienna City Hall on 5 June, scarcely surprised anyone as the trophies were handed out. Around 900 guests looked on as some of the recent favourites of the festival circuit and the domestic box office went on to win in one major category after another. This year’s theme was “more than film”, aiming to celebrate the magic and the narrative diversity of cinema.

The two lucky features this year were The Devil’s Bath [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala
film profile] by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, and Rickerl – Musik is höchstens a Hobby [+see also:
film review
film profile] by Adrian Goiginger. The former first screened in the main competition of the 2024 Berlinale, where it received positive reviews and took home a Silver Bear for the camera work of Martin Gschlacht. Rickerl, meanwhile, had its world premiere in September 2023 at Filmfest Hamburg, before making its debut on home turf in October, at the Viennale. Both films also picked up awards at this year’s Diagonale.

Besides winning Best Feature Film, The Devil’s Bath came out on top in the categories of Best Leading Actress (Anja F Plaschg), Best Supporting Actress (Maria Hofstätter), Best Cinematography again (Martin Gschlacht), Best Film Editing (Michael Palm), Best Score (Anja F Plaschg as her artistic alias Soap&Skin), Best Production Design (Andreas Donhauser and Renate Martin) and Best Make-up (Judith Kröher Falch and Tünde Kiss-Benke).

Rickerl may have only scooped half of that number of accolades, but it still won in the important categories of Best Director (Adrian Goiginger), Best Screenplay (Adrian Goiginger), Best Male Leading Actor (Voodoo Jürgens) and the new category of Best Casting (Angelika Kropej).

The rest of the awards were fairly evenly spread out. Many nominees such as Club Zero [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jessica Hausner
film profile], A Whole Life and Europa [+see also:
film review
interview: Sudabeh Mortezai
film profile] went home empty-handed. Peter Janecek and Chrys Krikellis won Best Documentary for Souls of a River, while Mark Gerstorfer won Best Short Film for Die unsichtbare Grenze. In the acting department, Karl Fischer bagged a Best Supporting Actor Award for Mermaids Don’t Cry. Woodland [+see also:
film review
film profile] by Elisabeth Scharang cashed in on one of its four nominations, winning Best Sound Editing for William Edouard Franck, Veronika Hlawatsch and Manuel Grandpierre. Tanja Hausner once again pocketed Best Costume Design for Sisi & I [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Frauke Finsterwalder
film profile]. The Viewers’ Choice Award, for the most popular audience movie, in this case with around 174,000 viewers, went to Andrea Gets a Divorce [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], also a well-loved staple of this year’s Berlinale. Michael Katz, Veit Heiduschka, Michael Stejskal and director Josef Hader took home the prize.

This year’s ceremony was hosted by actress Emily Cox and comedian Dirk Stermann, who leaned into a more comedic style of presentation for the gala. The main talking points were the thematic diversity of local filmmaking, and Academy presidents Verena Altenberger and Arash T Riahi wishing for a “new leading culture” based on respect, and in which “those affected are listened to and believed”.

City Councillor for Culture Veronica Kaup-Hasler was also involved in hosting the evening in Vienna, calling it a “film city” and emphasising the fact that filmmakers were committed to producing “fantastic quality”. Werner Kogler, Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister for Art, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport, stressed the value of democracy and the willingness to engage in dialogue. Finally, Academy managing director Katharina Albrecht happily summed up the event, calling it “an evening full of highlights”.

Here is the complete list of award winners:

Best Feature Film
The Devil’s Bath [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala
film profile] – Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala (Austria/Germany)

Best Documentary
Souls of a River – Chrys Krikellis (Austria/Germany/Greece)

Best Short Film
Die unsichtbare Grenze – Mark Gerstorfer

Best Director
Adrian Goiginger – Rickerl – Musik is höchstens a Hobby [+see also:
film review
film profile] (Austria/Germany)

Best Screenplay
Adrian Goiginger – Rickerl – Musik is höchstens a Hobby

Best Leading Actress
Anja F Plaschg – The Devil’s Bath

Best Supporting Actress
Maria Hofstätter – The Devil’s Bath

Best Male Leading Actor
Voodoo Jürgens – Rickerl – Musik is höchstens a Hobby

Best Supporting Actor
Karl Fischer – Mermaids Don’t Cry

Best Cinematography
Martin Gschlacht – The Devil’s Bath

Best Film Editing
Michael Palm – The Devil’s Bath

Best Casting
Angelika Kropej – Rickerl – Musik is höchstens a Hobby

Best Score
Anja F Plaschg (aka Soap&Skin) – The Devil’s Bath

Best Sound Editing
William Edouard Franck, Veronika Hlawatsch, Manuel Grandpierre - Woodland [+see also:
film review
film profile]

Best Production Design
Andreas Donhauser, Renate Martin – The Devil’s Bath

Best Costume Design
Tanja Hausner - Sisi & I [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Frauke Finsterwalder
film profile] (Austria/Germany/Switzerland)

Best Make-up
Judith Kröher Falch, Tünde Kiss-Benke – The Devil’s Bath

Viewers’ Choice
Andrea Gets a Divorce [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Josef Hader