Franz Holl, 6 years old, is sent off by his mother and stepfather to live on his father's farm. His father turns out to be a mischievous man who won't grant him any chance in life. The roles are played by amateur actors from Carinthia.
Acting
Non-professionals from Carinthia, devastatingly authentic.
Direction
Lehner's patient cruelty lets horror accumulate quietly.
Director
Fritz Lehner
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Andreas Umnig Jr. was discovered in a local school; his real-life father plays his on-screen tormentor in one scene.
Part of 1980s Austrian cinema's 'anti-Heimat' movement that dismantled romantic alpine imagery.