Gerhard Friedl © Ralph Wieser, mischief films

In Memory of Gerhard Friedl

September 23, 2009
 
On July 2, 2009, one of the most important contemporary German-language filmmakers died at the age of 41. Born in Styria, Gerhard Benedikt Friedl first studied philosophy in Vienna, then film at the Munich Film School and spent his final years in Berlin. He made only two essayistic films, and, as a "by-product of a film in development", one documentary video: Knittelfeld – A Town Without a History (1997), Did Wolff von Amerongen Commit Bankruptcy Offenses? (2004) and Shedding Details (2009, together with Laura Horelli). This small quantity is disproportionate to the powerful influence and aesthetic persuasiveness of Friedl's oeuvre, which managed to make a name for itself in Germany in Austria outside the usual industry networks. During Friedl’s lifetime, his films received numerous awards, but his international reception has only just begun.
 
In memory of the filmmaker, the Film Museum will show his three works; Shedding Details, which had its world première at the Diagonale 09, will be seen for the first time in Vienna on this occasion. The artist and filmmaker Harun Farocki, who followed Friedl's work with great affection over the years, will give an introduction at the start the programme.