Georg Friedrich Movies

Director Ulrich Seidl's quirky drama Import/Export unfolds against the backdrop of contemporary Europe. As Ukrainian nurse Olga (Ekateryna Rak) leaves her family and heads west to search for a better life -- ultimately pinning down a job as a charwoman in the geriatric wing of a hospital -- laid-off Viennese security guard Paul (Paul Hofmann) treks out of Austria with his stepfather in tow and lands in the Ukraine. Each of these characters, courting great optimism, attempts to start over and begin a new and dazzling life, but encounters instead a bleak, grim, and difficult reality. Their separate journeys also impart much newfound experiential wisdom about death and sexuality -- plus a lesson or two about how to clean the teeth of a stuffed animal. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

A 15-year-old girl whose free-spirited parents provide no sense of stability finds the roles between parent and child perpetually shifting in director Pia Marais's energetic family drama. Stevie's life is an unpredictable mess -- a fact she casually credits to her mother and father's excessive lifestyle. When her parents announce that the family will be moving to a town in the German countryside, Stevie furtively hopes that the change of scenery will provide their household with some much-needed equilibrium. As if to will her hopes into existence, Stevie introduces herself to the townspeople as the daughter of a respected diplomat. Her dreams are dashed, however, when her parents continue to fund their lavish lifestyle by resorting to illegal activities. As the house suddenly fills with shady strangers and suspicious undesirables, the precocious Stevie gradually begins to wander away from her family and down her own path in life. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Dice dictate the fate of a gambler willing to skirt society's conventions and relegate his fate to chance in this addiction drama from director Antonin Svoboda. Kurt's (Georg Friedrich) life is controlled by money. A manipulative hustler whose constant scheming is wearing thin on girlfriend Manu (Gerti Drassl), Kurt has an epiphany while viewing a television documentary on the life of classical composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Upon learning of the legendary pianist's unusual method of composing music by the roll of dice, Kurt immediately vows to put his fate in his own hands by making every decision in his life in exactly the same manner. Though at first the unusual method seems to pay off, resulting in numerous job offers and steering him into the company of beautiful drug addict Tanja (Birgit Minichmayr), the dice soon lead him into a life-threatening downward spiral. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

The seemingly random interactions between a group of people touched by a tragedy go under the microscope in this drama from Austrian filmmaker Barbara Albert. Manu (Kathrin Resetarits) is a woman who miraculously survives an airline crash caused by a freak storm that claims the life of every other passenger on board. Six years later, she's happily married to Andreas (Georg Friedrich), has a teenaged daughter named Yvonne (Deborah Ten Brink), and works at a supermarket -- only to die suddenly in an auto accident. Among the mourners at Manu's funeral are her brother Reini (Martin Brambach) and sister Gerlinde (Marion Mitterhammer). Schoolteacher Reini is infatuated with a troubled woman named Sandra (Bellinda Akwa-Asare), and is trying to reach out to one of his students, Kai (Dominik Hartel), who is haunted by the death of his mother. Andreas becomes involved with another teacher, Andrea (Ursula Strauss), who also has an unhappy student, Patricia (Désirée Ourada), an outcast with an interest in spirituality. Patricia strikes up a friendship with Kai as he drifts away from his girlfriend, Gabi (Nicole Skala). Meanwhile, Yvonne becomes ill and ponders her mother's fate in the hereafter, and Gerlinde becomes involved in an emotionally destructive sexual relationship with a handicapped man. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide