Director Ulrich Seidl: biography, filmography

Ulrich Seidl is an Austrian screenwriter and director who likes to shoot provocative pictures. His path to fame began with the creation of documentaries, then moved on to feature films. Popularity was presented to the master by the trilogy "Paradise", which tells about the difficult fate of three women. What else is known about this talented person?

Ulrich Seidl: the beginning of the journey

The creator of the provocative trilogy "Paradise" was born in Vienna, it happened in November 1952. Ulrich Seidl was born into a religious family; Mother and father dreamed that the only son would become a priest. However, as a child, the boy became interested in the cinema world and by the time he graduated he no longer doubted the choice of profession.

His first work Ulrich Seidl was introduced to the spectator court in 1980. It was a short film "Meter in a cap", telling the story of a modest but very kind person. She did not bring him fame, but the beginning was made.

Documentaries

Over the next few years, Ulrich Seidl shot only documentary films. For example, he is the creator of the ribbons "Animal Love", "The Ball", "Losses are inevitable", "The Last Men", "Pictures from the Exhibition", "Intimate Friend", "Unrestrained Fun", "Models".

The heroes of his early paintings look very natural, since Ulrich in most of his works used elements of the feature film. Proof of this can serve as a fascinating drama "Models", telling about the difficult fate of a young girl who is trying to survive in the ruthless realm of model business, to succeed and not lose herself.

Art films

Ulrich Seidl is the director who presented his first feature film to the audience in 2001. The painting was called "Dog's Heat". The action takes place in a suburb of Vienna, the inhabitants of which literally go crazy because of the heat. People are forced to go out in the bathing suits, but this does not help them protect themselves from suffocating heat. The tension is growing, and with it the number of crimes. In the end, the inhabitants of the suburbs turn into distraught savages and begin to commit terrible things that they could not even have imagined before. The film made a real sensation during the Venice Festival.

The picture "Import-export", which was published in 2007, was accepted by the public not so favorably. In the center of attention of spectators there are two separate fates. A nurse from Ukraine in search of a better share moves to Vienna, arranges a cleaning woman in a nursing home. An unemployed security guard from Vienna opposite goes to Ukraine in search of the meaning of life. The main characters are trying to find happiness, but luck does not want to turn to face them. The film, full of provocative scenes, received many negative reviews, but it positively affected the director's popularity.

Starry hour

In 2012, finally felt the taste of true fame Ulrich Seidl. The film "Paradise: Faith" made a huge impression on the audience. The focus of attention is the history of a woman named Anna Maria, whose main mission is missionary work. Day by day she continues her pilgrimage to Vienna, she visits one house after another, holding a statue of the Virgin Mary in her hands. The picture quickly acquired a scandalous character, the main claim to the director was the use of the crucifix in intimate scenes.

The film was originally conceived as a trilogy, so soon spectators were able to see the sequel. Drama "Paradise: Hope" tells the story of a 13-year-old fat woman Melanie, who goes to a dietary camp and falls in love with a local doctor. The main problem is that the chosen one is older than the girl for the whole forty years. Despite this, Melanie is determined to fight for her feelings.

The drama "Paradise: Love" is another part of the sensational trilogy. This time, Ulrich Seidl, whose films are covered in this article, made the main character woman a little over fifty. Loveful Theresa does not want to put up with the fact that her sex life is in the past. In search of a romantic adventure, she leaves phlegmatic Austria and goes to sensual and hot Kenya, where dozens of priests of love wait for her.

What else to see

Ulrich Seidl, whose films are covered in this article, continues to shoot documentaries. In 2014, he presented to the audience the picture "In the basement", which received mixed reviews. The film narrates about the secret life of respectable Austrians, about the dangerous hobbies that they indulge in the cellars of their homes.

"Safari" is another popular creation of the director. This documentary was released in 2016. Its main goal is to expose ruthless hunter-tourists who destroy animals for fun. Entire families of respectable Europeans go to Africa in order to kill beautiful animals and obtain trophies that will become an ornament of the interior.

These are the films that Ulrich Seidl managed to film for 64 years. The complete filmography of the director includes 21 paintings.

Personal life

In his personal life, the Austrian director has an enviable constancy. For many years now he has been legally married. The writer of the master was the writer Veronika Franz. The second half of Ulrich helped him in the work on many of his famous paintings, for example, "The Dog's Heat", "In the Basement", "Safari", "Import-Export", trilogy "Paradise". Seidl and Franz have raised two children and are not willing to share the secrets of family happiness with anyone.