Signal-Film Gerhard Kleindl

A 'creative documentary' about an Austrian skier who was known during the 70s. Examined from a biographical / visual standpoint.

Baron Childerich III of Bartenbruch considers himself to be a descendant of the Merovingian dynasty and he has drawn up a chart of marriages and adoptions which show that he is his own father, grandfather, father-in-law, and son-in-law. He aims at achieving the "total family" based on one man. He persuades his french relative, Pippin, to help him. But the latter lets him down and breaks up the family... Among those who belong to the (surrounding) world of the Baron are Dr. Döblinger, a writer, who has formed a band of muggers and Professor Horn, a psychiatrist, who quiets his patients by leading them on nose rings and beating them up... Family satire with numerous personal and literary allusions based on the novel of the Austrian writer, Heimito von Doderer.

Caught Feelings is the succinct title of a film which deals with emancipation trends from the viewpoint of young Austrians. Manfred Kaufmann's first film reports on tensions which may arise from the contradictions between collective and individual feelings. He works with subtle and psychologically perfected indications which explain the symptoms and illustrate the reactions. But this film is also a vehement attack on bourgeois feelings and the resulting behaviours. He shows character traits which use masks to simulate emotion as well as those which are ready to remove their masks in order to let feelings take effect. (Herbert Holba)