(Blickpunkt Film) "WOODLAND" by Elisabeth Scharang celebrates world premiere in Toronto
Elisabeth Scharang's "Woodland", produced by Veit Heiduschka's Wega Film, will celebrate its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in the "Centrepiece" section. This is reported by world sales company Picture Tree International, which already launched the Austrian filmmaker's second feature film, "Jack," there - and at the Locarno Film Festival - in 2015.
Scharang directed "Woodland" from her own screenplay, which was inspired by Doris Knecht's novel of the same name, as well as the filmmaker's personal experiences as a witness to a terrorist's attack in downtown Vienna in 2022 when four people were killed and 23 others injured.
The film tells the story of Marian, played by Brigitte Hobmeier, who has everything she could want: a passion, a job, a love. Until she and her husband (Bogdan Dumitrache) fall victim to a terrorist attack in the center of Vienna. The external injuries heal quickly, but Marian's trauma runs so deep that she flees to her grandparents' abandoned country home, miles from the nearest village where she grew up. During her forays through the woods, Marian slowly rediscovers the sense of freedom she felt as a child, but also opens up old wounds of her former best friends Gerti (Gerti Drassl) and Franz (Johannes Krisch), who have stayed behind.
"Woodland" marks Scharang's second time working with Jörg Widmer as cinematographer, who has frequently collaborated with Terrence Malick. It is her third feature film after "Jack" and "Maybe in Another Life" (2010). About Wega was produced by Veit Heiduschka and Michael Katz. Funding was provided by ORF, ÖFI, LAFC, Filmfonds Wien and FISA.
In addition to "Woodland," Picture Tree International also has Chris Kraus' new directorial effort "15 Years," Marc Rothemund's "Weekend Rebels," Hans Steinbichler's "A Whole Life," Ulrike Kofler's second directorial effort "Gina," currently in post-production, and Adar Shafran's debut "Running on Sand."