Director Biography – Johannes Gierlinger, Mira Klug
Mira Klug (*1992). Studied fine arts at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. Her work has been shown in various institutions and galleries, including Neue Galerie Graz (AT), Antimatter (CA), EMAF Osnabrück (DE), KIÖR Graz (AT), ZETA Contemporary Art Center Tirana (AL). Lives and works in Vienna.
Johannes Gierlinger (* 1985)
Studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. His work has been shown at national and international film festivals and institutions, including Vision Du Réel Nyon (CH), Belvedere21 (AT), Werkleitz Zentrum für Medienkunst (DE), IMPAKT Festival (NL), CPH:DOX (DE), Filmmakers Fest Milano (IT), Edinburgh IFF (GB), EMAF Osnabrück (DE), rotor Graz (AT), Salzburger Kunstverein (AT), Callirrhoë (GR), das weisse haus wien (AT), Diagonale Graz (AT). Lives and works in Vienna.
Johannes Gierlinger (* 1985)
Studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. His work has been shown at national and international film festivals and institutions, including Vision Du Réel Nyon (CH), Belvedere21 (AT), Werkleitz Zentrum für Medienkunst (DE), IMPAKT Festival (NL), CPH:DOX (DE), Filmmakers Fest Milano (IT), Edinburgh IFF (GB), EMAF Osnabrück (DE), rotor Graz (AT), Salzburger Kunstverein (AT), Callirrhoë (GR), das weisse haus wien (AT), Diagonale Graz (AT). Lives and works in Vienna.
Synopsis
Beginning with a historical painting of an idyllic March landscape, stored in an art depot, the film moves along the border river March, which with its Austrian-Slovakian section establishes one of Austria’s oldest national borders. The film poses questions about image storage, escape, and the reverberations of historical circumstances. The depot serves as a storehouse and repository of images and history, while nature constantly accumulates and stratifies. ‘relièf Relief’ meanders downstream along the seasons, referencing the history of escape in Iron Curtain times. It poses questions regarding hidden history as well as the overgrowth of nature and refers not least to the notion of contaminated landscape.