2023-09-07 06:08:00
In addition to the former chancellor himself, former ÖVP ministers Gernot Blümel and Elisabeth Köstinger attended the official premiere of “Kurz – Der Film”. Kurz himself clearly rejected assumptions that the film might possibly herald his political comeback: “No, definitely not,” he said when asked.
Before the start of the film, the former chancellor, who will soon be on trial for making false statements in the Ibiza U-Committee, allowed himself a swim in the media crowd, which had appeared in large numbers. He is certainly familiar with the content of the film, at least in part, because in the film directed by Sascha Köllnreitner, the former chancellor and now entrepreneur has ample opportunity to present his own view of the rise and fall.
Chancellor once more? “No”
Asked whether he would ever become ÖVP boss or chancellor once more, Kurz answered in front of the Artis cinema with a tight “no”. When asked if it was a PR show, Kurz said he had only seen a few excerpts, and he also pointed out that he was no longer in politics. At first he was “relatively skeptical” regarding being available for the film, but then got the impression that it might be a “balanced” film and accepted the interview request.
Picture gallery: “Short – The Film”: Turquoise celebrities at the film premiere
(Photo: GEORG HOCHMUTH (APA)) Bild 1/9
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Kurz will probably not watch the second short film by director Kurt Langbein (“Project Ballhausplatz”), which opens in cinemas on September 21: “I think I’ll skip that.” Langbein also asked him for an interview, but he didn’t give the impression of being “objective”.
The director of the premiere film, Sascha Köllnreitner, denied, as before, any proximity to Kurz or the ÖVP and was unhappy regarding such assignments. He’s now afraid of being taken over. “I’m personally opposed to that,” he said. He had already expected something like this, “but not to this extent”. “Unfortunately, I didn’t foresee that.” To voices that speak of a PR show for Kurz, the director said: “This criticism hurts me a lot because I am in no way close to Sebastian Kurz and in no way close to his politics.”
Asked why hardly anyone from the critical camp was present at the premiere, Köllnreitner said that everyone who appeared in the film had been invited – such as former SPÖ Chancellor Christian Kern, NEOS mandatarin Stephanie Krisper and investigative journalist Michael Nikbakhsh. The day before, the latter spoke of a “Legerl” at the press release because a production for a streaming service had been suggested to him.
Lots of local celebrities
Media historian Fritz Hausjell, who was interviewed by Köllnreitner but does not appear in the film, was on site. Hausjell said that he addressed Kurz’s relationship with the media and the notorious “message control” of the Kurz team in the interview. He doesn’t know why it doesn’t appear now. Köllnreitner regretted this: Hausjell had “unfortunately” fallen victim to a “dramaturgical decision”, “I’m very sorry”. But this has nothing to do with content-related reasons. In the end, the term message control wasn’t mentioned once in the film itself – and the role of the media was rather critically examined, Hausjell remarked to journalists.
Ex-minister and Kurz confidante Köstinger said she assumed that the film by Köllnreiter drew a “more objective” picture than others. The figure of Sebastian Kurz continues to exert a great fascination, she said of the media presence and the large rush, especially from ÖVP celebrities.
With Labor Minister Martin Kocher and Constitutional Minister Karoline Edtstadler, members of the current ÖVP ministerial team also paid tribute in the Artis cinema. President of the National Council Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP) and some members of the Austrian People’s Party, including Andreas Hanger, were spotted, as were ex-Secretaries General Laura Sachslehner and Alex Melchior and the former Viennese leader of the ÖVP, Manfred Juraczka. Chancellor and ÖVP leader Karl Nehammer was not there, but was announced for the subsequent premiere party.
Numerous former ÖVP politicians were also among the premiere guests, including ex-ÖVP and Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Bowl and ex-Vice Chancellor Josef Riegler. Also sighted were the suspended criminal law section head Christian Pilnacek and Kurz’s confidante Bernhard Bonelli, who was at times his head of cabinet and, like Kurz, will soon have to answer to the court for making false statements in the Ibiza U-Committee.
Picture gallery: “Short – The Film”: Turquoise celebrities at the film premiere
(Photo: GEORG HOCHMUTH (APA)) Bild 1/9
view gallery
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