Import/Export (2007)

Director:

Ulrich Seidl

Writers:

Ulrich Seidl
Veronika Franz

Release Date:

11 October 2007 (Czech Republic)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A nurse from the Ukraine searches for a better life in the West, while an unemployed security guard from Austria heads East for the same reason. |

Plot Keywords:

Security Guard | Ukraine | Nurse | Cleaning Lady | Labia

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Ekateryna Rak	...	Olga
Lidiya Oleksandrivna Savka	...	Olgas Mutter
Natalya Baranova	...	Olgas Freundin in der Ukraine (as Natalija Baranova)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Natalja Epureanu	...	Olgas Freundin in Osterreich (as Natalia Epureanu)
Erich Finsches	...	Herr Schlager
Georg Friedrich	...	Pfleger Andi
Paul Hofmann	...	Paul
Maria Hofstätter	...	Schwester Maria
Brigitte Kren	...	Pauls Mutter
Peter Linduska	...	Security Ausbilder
Petra Morzé	...	Mutter Einfamilienhaus
Thomas Nash	...	Securitytruppe
Anastasia Sergeyeva	...	Prostituierte Hotelzimmer
Dirk Stermann	...	Job Coach Arbeitsamt
Michael Thomas	...	Pauls Stiefvater
Christina York	...	Pauls Freundin

Directed by
Ulrich Seidl

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Veronika Franz
Ulrich Seidl

Produced by
Maksym Asadchyi	....	producer (as Maxim Asadchy)
Philippe Bober	....	co-producer
Ulrich Seidl	....	producer
Lucki Stipetic	....	producer

Cinematography by
Edward Lachman
Wolfgang Thaler

Film Editing by
Christof Schertenleib

Production Design by
Andreas Donhauser
Renate Martin

Art Direction by
Alexandra Maringer
Julia Oberndorfinger

Costume Design by
Silvia Pernegger

Makeup Department
Silvia Pernegger	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Max Linder	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Daniel Hösl	....	assistant director (as Daniel Hoesl)

Art Department
Hubert Klausner	....	property master

Sound Department
Ekkehart Baumung	....	sound
Sebastian Heyser	....	foley editor
Peter Klinkenberg	....	foley artist
Erik Mischijew	....	sound designer
Matz Müller	....	sound designer
Sebastian Schmidt	....	foley editor

Editorial Department
Jimmy Mann	....	colorist: dailies

Other crew
Alexandra Maringer	....	location scout
Louis Oellerer	....	location manager
Elisabeth Zemann	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Ulrich Seidl Film Produktion GmbH
• Pronto Film
• Société Parisienne de Production
• Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF)
• Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF)

Distributors

• Aerofilms (2007) (Czech Republic) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Cinema Without Frontiers (2008) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Filmes da Mostra (2009) (Brazil) (theatrical)
• Filmmuseum Distributie (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Movienet (2007) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Solaris Distribution (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• novemberfilm (2008) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Accent Film Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2009) (Spain) (DVD)
• Mantarraya Producciones (2008) (Mexico) (all media)
• Palisades Tartan (2009) (USA) (all media) (subtitled)
• Seven Films (2007) (Greece) (all media)
• Trinity Home Entertainment (2009) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Other Companies

• Filmfonds Wien  funding
• Land Niederösterreich  funding
• Österreichisches Filminstitut  funding

Also Known As:

"Import Export" - Greece (transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title)

Runtime:

141 min | South Korea:123 min

Country:

Austria | France | Germany

Language:

German | Slovak | Russian | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Czech Republic:15 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Sweden:15 | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:15 (cut) | UK:18 | Australia:R | France:-16 | Mexico:C

Filming Locations:

Slovakia

Company:

Ulrich Seidl Film Produktion GmbH

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Metropolis: Cannes 2007 - Special" (2007)

Long and Pointless

A nurse travels from the Ukraine to Vienna in search of employment while a couple of shiftless Austrian men make the reverse trip. The two stories are told in parallel but are not integrated, making it seem like two films spliced together because they happen to have the same settings. The main attraction here is the titillation suggested by the movie's poster, although it's not enough to sustain one's interest. The film moves at a very deliberate pace and, like its characters, wanders aimlessly. The filmmakers are trying to make a point here but it's not clear what that point is. And they take much too long to not make a point. The cinematography is nice.