Import/Export
France, Germany, Austria
2007
141 Min
Color
1.66:1
English, German, Russian, Slovak
Synopsis
Two individual fates move in opposite directions. Olga, a nurse from the Ukraine, abandons her family to look for a better life in the West and ends up working as a cleaning woman in a geriatric ward in Austria. Paul, an unemployed security guard from Vienna, is looking a reason to get up in the mornings and heads East with his stepfather, ending up in the Ukraine. Two young people on the move, eager to start a new life, confronted with a rough reality. Two stories about the pursuit of happiness and material advantages, about the darker sides of sexuality and death, and about the difficulties of cleaning the teeth of a stuffed fox. –Cannes Film Festival
Director
Ulrich Seidl
Ulrich Seidl was born in Vienna in 1952 and grew up in the town of Horn in Lower Austria. He studied journalism, art history and drama in Vienna, supporting himself with odd jobs, before entering the prestigious Vienna Film Academy at the age of 26. In 1980 he made his first documentary, Einsvierzig. Following the controversy surrounding his second film, Der Ball (1982) – a wickedly satirical portrait of the graduation ball in his home town – Seidl was asked to leave the Film Academy. In 1990 he returned to the scene with the feature-length documentary Good News. Within the decade Seidl was to make seven more documentaries for cinema and television, winning much acclaim and many prizes for his work.
Hundstage – Dog Days, his first fiction film, was released in 2001 and won several important awards, beginning with the grand jury prize at the Venice Film Festival in 2001. The same year also saw the release of Zur Lage / State of… read more
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Truls Foss
12Apr11
Roy Andersson mixed with Kieslowski's "Dekalog"- with a small dose of Haneke's cruelty. Seidl's "IMPORT / EXPORT" has some heartbreaking moments I will never forget. And I share Viktor´s opinion, "I believe he makes these films to try to change the world, and for that i admire him greatly".
Bryter Layter likes this
Viktor Pedersen
18Nov10
In a globalized, consumer society, humans have become a product. Everybody have a price, everybody can be replaced, imported and exported. Ulrich Seidel has a great talent for showing us painful truths, but not without compassion and warmth for the humans involved. I believe he makes these films to try to change the world, and for that i admire him greatly.
Truls Foss likes this
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WORLD’S A TRADE MARKET AND YOU ARE MERCHANDISE
By Товарищ Петя. on August 13, 2010
Distinct Austrian hardcore documentary-maker Ulrich Seidl post yet another contribution in the public debate with new Import/Export_. Consequent in his documentarish narrative, Seidl continues… read review
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