The Austrian Association of Cinematographers celebrated its 30 Year Anniversary the 13th of June in Vienna .

Founded in April 1976, the AAC's activities started soon with one of its key issues (still urgent): establishing general valid working conditions. Their booklet "Film und Filmschaffende in Österreich" published in 1977 described, for the first time, the situation of the Austrian film industry from the filmmaker's point of view. The main demand was national film funding. This was finally implemented in 1980, realized on the basis of AAC´s original suggestions.

Additionally, the AAC was a motive power for an Austrian collective agreement, that came into effect in 1981. The working conditions have been defined and a minimum salary has been fixed, in a binding contract between producers and filmmakers.

In the late 70ies the AAC started to work out regulations to unite all the other professional filmmakers associations, like those of directors, editors and film architects. This led in 1987 to the foundation of the "Dachverband Österreichischer Filmschaffende".

Very soon the AAC worked intensively with problems of authorship and suggested the installation of a collecting society in the late 80ies. It took three years, until the VDFS (Verwertungsgesellschaft Dachverband Österreichischer Filmschaffender) was founded in 1992.

From the beginning, up today the AAC constantly took and still takes care of further development and continued education in fields of new technologies and artistic creation.

At its 10th anniversary the AAC established the "Golden Frame" to honour the best camerawork among its members. This prize was given at irregular periods, but normally every second year.

At this 30 year Jubilee AAC Festival, two "Golden Frame" Awards were awarded: for best camera work in a feature film and best camera work in a documentary.

AAC Board had collected an international jury, to decide upon the awards.

This consisted of -

French and German DoP Sophie Maintigneux

Hungarian DoP Tibor Vagyózky, HSC (Past IMAGO President)

Danish DoP Andreas Fischer-Hansen, DFF (IMAGO President)

The jury work was exemplary well prepared by AAC. In advance we all received DVD's of the short listed candidates. Three films in each category.

In Vienna we were hosted two days in advance of the award ceremony, the films were screened for us (and other guests), so we had optimal conditions to evaluate six marvellous films.

The standard was indeed very high, both as to content and technique.

We were moved and inspired by all films. But we had to give the award, that was the idea, in fact the assignment we had been entrusted with.

So after many interesting and difficult discussions we made our decision.

The short listed films were:

Documentaries

Unser täglich Brot ( Our Daily bread ). Camera and director Nikolaus Geyrhalter.

Workingman's death . Camera Wolfgang Thaler. Director Michael Glawogger.

Babooska . Camera Rainer Frimmel. Director Tizzia Covi.

Features

Grbavica . Camera Christine A. Maier. Director Jasmila Zbanic.

Hotel . Camera Martin Gschlacht. Director Jessica Hausner.

Caché . Christan Berger. Director Michael Haneke.

Motivation in German and English as follows:

Introduction

Sowohl im Dokumentarfilm als auch im Spielfilm sind die Kameraführung, das Licht und alle anderen Bereiche der Bildgestaltung maßgeblich mit dafür verantwortlich, die Geschichte zu erzählen.

Alle sechs nominierten Filme haben diesen Anspruch erfüllt und eine hohe Qualität einer visuellen Filmsprache erreicht.

Alle sechs nominierten Filme haben die Idee und die Vision der Regie weitergeführt und verstärkt.

Deswegen war die Jurybesprechung sehr komplex und nicht leicht.

Aber wir sind sehr glücklich über unsere Entscheidung.

In documentary, as in feature camerawork, lighting and all other elements of picture creation are in a big part responsible for the storytelling.

All 6 nominated films have fulfilled this task and received a high level of quality of a visual film language.

All six nominated films have continued and supported the idea and vision of the director.

We are very happy with our decision. But the discussions within the jury have been very complex and not easy.

Sophie Maintigneux introducing the jury work

Documentary :

Jetzt kommen wir zu unserem ersten Preis.

Ein Film über unsere Zeit und unseren Widerspruch, ein Film über Schönheit und Brutalität.

Der Maler Hieronymus Bosch und viele Zigaretten, eine Stahl- Kathedrale und schwarze Gesichter, Blut und Schnee, Feuer und Erde.

Ein Dokumentarfilm dessen Kamerabewegung uns mit dem Rhythmus der Arbeiter fesselt.

Die Kamera ist immer mitten im Geschehen und die Bilder zeigen uns mit Solidarität, Respekt und Mitgefühl die Bedingungen des Daseins.

Der "Goldene Kader" für die beste Kameraarbeit im Dokumentarfilm geht an Wolfgang Thaler für Working Man's Death .

A film about our time and our contradiction

A film about beauty and brutality

The painter Hieronymus Bosch and lots of cigarettes, a steel-cathedral and black faces, blood and snow, fire and earth.

The camera work in this documentary fascinated us in the rhythm of the workers.

The camera is in the centre of what is going on, and the pictures show us with solidarity, respect and empathy the human condition.

The "Golden Frame" for the best camerawork in a documentary went to Wolfgang Thaler for Working Man's Death .

Andreas Fischer-Hansen giving the documentary Golden Frame Prize to the son of Wolfgang Thaler, (Wolfgang was in the US shooting). The producer looks very pleased. Tibor Vagyózky in the background.

Feature :

Wie kann Verdrängung, Verstecktes und Ungesagtes visualisiert werden? - Wir haben eine Antwort in diesem Film gefunden.

Eine komplexe Geschichte unterstützt durch eine komplexe Kamera-arbeit, bei der die Cadrage nur eine Möglichkeit, eine Position und daher nur eine Lösung für jede Einstellung zulässt.

In diesem Film ringt das Licht mit der Finsternis -In einer sensiblen und präzisen Art und Weise werden Teile des Bildes ins Licht gesetzt während andere im Schatten bleiben.

Der "Goldene Kader" für die beste Kameraarbeit im Spielfilm geht an Christian Berger für Caché .

How can repression, the hidden and the unsaid be visualized? We have found an answer in this film.

A complex story supported by a complex cinematography where the framing allows only one possibility one position, and thus one solution for each take.

Art is in the struggle between light and darkness.

In this film light struggles with darkness. In a sensitive and precise way parts of the picture are put into light while others stay in the shadow.

The "Golden Frame" for the best camerawork in a feature went to Christian Berger for Caché .

MovieCam CEO Fritz Gabriel Bauer presented the Christian Berger speaking to the festival participants

Golden Frame Prize to Christian Berger

The festivities were sumptuous. With participants from all Austrian film industry.

Exquisite dinner, amusing and informative films about the Austrian film industry, and many accolades from Austrian film directors and manuscript writes.

Mercedes Echerer, actor, former Member of The European Parliament and organiser of the renowned EU XXL yearly film conference in Vienna, was toastmaster - in fact more than that. With her thorough knowledge of European film, she also moderated with great expertise the discussions on stage.

A thoughtful moment for Mercedes Echerer and Kurt Brazda, President AAC, preparing for the battle.

On stage: Andreas Fischer-Hansen, Astrid Heubrandtner and Kurt Brazda -being questioned about the future of European film by Mercedes Echerer.

AAC had with great hospitality invited guests from The IMAGO Federation - John and Chris French participated representing BSC, Peter Dubovitz and Virgil Szilagy represented HSC, and Casper Høyberg represented DFF.

The dinner and post-festivities finished in the early morning, at around 3 - 4 o'clock.

A worthy 30 year celebration for the innovative and pioneering effort of an important cinematographers association within European film.

Andreas Fischer-Hansen, DFF.

Many thanks to Alexander Boboschewski, AAC, for the generous

availability of all photographs. ( www.bobo.at )