The German filmmaker Christian Petzold has been named the new president of the Austrian film festival Viennale, effective immediately.
He takes over the role after a vacancy due to the death of Eric Pleskow, who was president of the Viennale from 1998 until his death in 2019.
“Christian Petzold has been closely connected to the festival for many years as a director and friend,” the Vienna festival said. “Many of his films have had their Austrian premiere in the Gartenbaukino as part of the Viennale. As president of the Viennale, which is an association, Petzold thus holds the highest position in it.”
Petzold sang the praises of the Viennale on Friday. “The John Ford Retrospective. Then the one about the essayistic film Der Weg der Termiten. Or ‘Los Angeles: A City on Film.’ All the great retrospectives. Furthermore, the Viennale is also always the most beautiful narrative of a movie year.”
He added this about the Viennale: “Perhaps it’s the best-curated festival – but I’m not supposed to say that. It’s said that Billy Wilder called Barbara Stanwyck the ‘best actress,’ and when he later sent a script to Joan Crawford, he received it back unopened with the note saying, ‘Send it to the best actress…’ So, I’m very happy to be part of the Viennale.”
Eva Sangiorgi, the Viennale director, highlighted: “The Viennale has had a long-standing relationship with Christian Petzold and his filmmaking, and I personally feel a profound connection to his cinema. For this reason, it’s a great honor that he is taking over the presidency of the festival. He is such a coherent and consistent director that I’m convinced that he will bring inspiring energy and perspective with him during a time in which conversation about cinema and culture is so complex.”
The Viennale also unveiled on Friday that Sangiorgi’s contract has been extended for another three years. Having been in her role since March 2018, she has now been given artistic responsibility for the festival until March 2029.
“I am truly grateful for this vote of confidence – it brings renewed energy to the festival”, said Sangiorgi. “The Viennale is deeply rooted in the social and cultural fabric of the city, as proven by the extraordinary audience numbers we’ve seen in recent years, despite the many challenges we’ve faced. It is also internationally renowned for its outstanding film program, consistency, and clear curatorial focus.”
And she vowed: “Mew initiatives will be launched that respond to the times – always in keeping with the Viennale’s great and longstanding tradition.”