21º Mostra Internacional de Cinema International Perspective
THE UNFISH

Austria   

The UnfishFantasy and surrealism blend in this modern fable that questions greed, selfishness, and other human feelings that render impossible understanding and cooperation between persons. A showman spends his life traveling to present a unique spectacle, namely, an enormous preserved whale that he carries about in the back of a truck. His latest journey takes him to a small mountain town. His journey, however, is terminated midway by a heart attack. Not knowing what to do, the mayor leaves the whale in the main square in wait of some relative of the deceased that may claim such as an inheritance. One day, beautiful Sophie arrives on the scene as a relative of the showman to claim what is hers by right.

Her arrival coincides with a wedding in town. However, the ceremony is interrupted when the bride, Maria, resolves to opt for her freedom. The bridegroom, just as the old whale, is soon to become a monument for the place, standing there in front of the church awaiting the return of his beloved. At night, driven by curiosity, he sets himself to aiding Sophie to find her way into the whale whose interior is structured as a trailer. Overcome by magic, they make love, not knowing that this act may change life for the village.

As he exits from the whale he discovers that his wish - mentalized while he was in Sophie's arms - has been granted. Maria is there right in front of him. To test the truth of what had occurred, Sophie invites a man that had been rejected by Maria to spend a night in the whale. As she makes love, she wishes that Maria be changed into a dog. And her wish also comes true. In repentance, Sophie tries in vain to find someone able to revert the curse. What can be observed is a series of events that reveal the strangest dreams for the residents. As from then, the town goes wild, with lines of people at the door of Sophie's whale to have their wishes come true, in this extremely universal and touching story.

 

     Director

DIRECTOR: Robert Dornhelm
SCREENPLAY: Michael Köhlmeier
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Michi Riebl
EDITION: Klaus Hundsbichler
MUSIC: Harald Kloser
CAST: Maria Schrader, Eva Herzig, Andreas Lust, George Kern
PRODUCER: Norbert Blecha
FESTIVALS: Berlim
PRODUCTION: Terra Filmproduktion
Lienfeldergasse 37-39
Tel: 00 2 22 4841-1010
Fax: 00 2 22 4841-10127
WORLD SALES: Terra Filmproduktion
Lienfeldergasse 37-39
Tel: 00 2 22 4841-1010
Fax: 00 2 22 4841-10127
ORIGINAL TITLE:

Der Unfisch

   Col., 98 min., 1996

Robert Dornhelm

Born in Timisoara in Rumania, in 1947, Dornhelm emigrated to Vienna in 1960 where he studied Cinema from 1965 until 1967. As maker of over 100 documentaries, his first fiction film dates from 1979, She Dances Alone. As from then, he keeps up a vast production including films such as Cold Feet, Echo Park and Requiem Für Dominic.