2021

DER SCHÖNSTE PLATZ AUF ERDEN

DER SCHÖNSTE PLATZ AUF ERDEN – THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE ON EARTH

Elke Groen | Austria 2020 | 95 Min. | OmeU

During the presidential election of 2016, the small village of Pinkafeld in Burgenland, Austria, made negative headlines as a Nazi village, as a majority of its citizens voted for its famous cornflower-liking neighbor Norbert Hofer. What motivated them to do so, and what do they really think about their homeland? As a microcosm, the village reflects the zeitgeist of Europe and represents a society that wants to seal itself off and in no way show solidarity.

DER SCHÖNSTE PLATZ AUF ERDEN illuminates supposed inhumanity in a very human way and shows us that it is not only right-wing voters who are too quick to judge others.

Writer, Director, Cinematographer: Elke Groen 
Editor: Stephan Bechinger 
Sound: David Almeida-Ribeiro, Hjalti Bager-Jonathansson, Andreas Hamza, Johannes Schmelzer Ziringer
Colorist: Daniel Pazderka 
VFX: Christoph Hofer 
Sound Design and Mix: Georg Tomandl 
Producers: Arash T. Riahi, Sabine Gruber, Elke Groen

Website

Screenings
Diagonale 2020 Graz / Austria: National Premiere


Biography
Elke Groen, born 1969 in Gmunden, OÖ. Studied Architectur und Fotographie in Vienna. 1999 founded Filmproduction Meter Film, 2005 founded Groen.Film. Since 1997 working as director and editor. 


Filmography
BOJO BEACH_2017, 25 min.
Premiere: Viennale | Diagonale |  Crossing Europe | Dok Leipzig | Ji.hlava Dokumentarilmfestival 
OPTICAL SOUND_2014, 12 min.
Premiere: Berlinale Shorts Competition | Karlovy Vary | New York Tribeca 
NIGHTSTILL_2008, 9 min.
Premiere: Berlinale Shorts Competition | Montréal – Festival du Nouveau Cinéma | Villa do Conde | Seoul | Cork | Sundance
JEDER SIEBTE MENSCH_2006, 74 min.
Premiere: Viennale | Diagonale | Intern. Filmfestial Mannheim | Int. Filmfestival Belfast | European Film Festival Bucharest
BUNICA_2005, 75 min.
Premiere: Vision du Réel, Nyon | Thessaloniki Film Festival | Diagonale | Crossing Europe  
TITO MATERIAL_1998, 9 min.
Cork Filmfestival | Madrid Semana de Cine Experimental | Ann Arbor Filmfestival