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WELCOME HOME A film by ANDREAS GRUBER Austria/Germany 2004, 35mm, 1:1,85, Colour, 2.930 m, 98 minutes, Dolby SRD PRODUCTION COMPANIES WEGA Filmproduktions GesmbH A-1140 Vienna, Hägelingasse 13 Tel. +43 (1) 982 57 42 Fax: +43 (1) 982 58 33 [email protected] and Colonia Media Filmproduktions GmbH D-50674 Cologne, Moltkestr. 131 Tel. +49 (221) 951 404-0 Fax. +49 (221) 951 404-4 [email protected] SALES WEGA-Film PRESS OFFICE WEGA-Film © 2004 2 PLOT SUMMARY Two police officers are supposed to be deporting a black African back to Ghana. But when they arrive in Africa, all of a sudden the balance of power between black and white is turned upside down. This deeply-black comedy sees the white police officers being sent off on an absurd odyssey through a foreign land in which they are constantly confronted with their own prejudices which, with circumstances reversed, they find are now directed against them. Andreas Gruber: Director's Statement Precisely because of the serious political background to this story, I was determined to tell "Welcome Home" as a comedy. The excitement consisted in hitting the right note, with a great deal of sophisticated black humour. Never losing touch with the link to reality, and yet not coming across as either heavy or ponderous, was both a challenge and a balancing act in equal measure. WELCOME HOME 3 CAST RÖSLER GEORG FRIEDRICH SAMHABER RAINER EGGER ISAAC ABDUL SALIS ALTERMÜLLER JOHANNES SILBERSCHNEIDER AMPOFO ABDI GOUHAD INGE JEANETTE HAIN KARIN NINA BLUM MICHAELIS BRIGITTE KARNER PETRA HEMMA CLEMENTI ANGERER EDMUND JÄGER MR. ABEGA ALOYSIUS ITOKA PAYRHUBER MANFRED LUKAS-LUDERER FRITZ MICHAEL PINK FOOTBALL PLAYER MANFRED ZAMINER COACH WOLFGANG S. ZECHMAYER MR. STUMPF REINHARD SIMONISCHEK PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER FRANZ STRASSER AND GERALD ESCHENAUER, THOMAS LACKNER, MIEMIE HU, ANA STEFANOVIC, ARMIN FELSBERGER, GEORGES KERN, ANTONIO MONFORT, ERROL TROTMAN HAREWOOD, GERNOT SCHMIDT, RUDI RUGGIERO, FRED NII AMUGI, ANJA HERDEN, GEORGE APPIAH KUBI, FREEMAN EKOW, DAVID DONTOH, AFUA ESTHER YIRENKYI, EMMANUEL ATO GHARTEY, JOJO ROBERTSON, JOSEPH ALLRUIST WIN, PIUS NANA KWAME MENSAH, KOFI ASAMOAH, KENNETH SENYO FIATI, EMMANUEL BINEY, JOSEPH EDUAKWA, EMMANUEL ABANKWA, GODWIN NIKOI KOTEY, EMMANUEL ZIGGY NETYSON, JAYMES BUTLER, MICHAEL OJAKE, MARIE-HELENE ECHARD, ERIC BOAKYE, VIVIENNE AJO ACHOR, JEAN-MARIE FORMADI, JOHN E. YAMOAH, KENETH QUASHIE, AGNES YANKSON a.o. WELCOME HOME 4 CREW DIRECTOR ANDREAS GRUBER SCREENPLAY ANDREAS GRUBER MARTIN RAUHAUS PRODUCER VEIT HEIDUSCHKA CO-PRODUCER GEORG FEIL FRANK DÖHMANN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER MICHAEL KATZ LINE PRODUCER Ghana KING AMPAW PRODUCTION MANAGER Germany PIT KRAUSE PRODUCTION MANAGER Ghana JÖRG GROSSMANN PRODUCTION COORDINATION ULRIKE LÄSSER PRODUCTION COORDINATION Germany CHRISTOPH WOLF LOCATION MANAGER ROMAN HASCHBERGER UNIT MANAGER MATTHIAS MAYER ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OLAF R. BENOLD DANA HAACK ASSISTANT A.Gruber LOLA RANDL DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY HERMANN DUNZENDORFER MUSIC PETER ANDROSCH HANNES KÖCHER EDITOR GUIDO KRAJEWSKI SOUND ENGINEER MARC PARISOTTO PRODUCTION DESIGNER BERTRAM REITER ASSISTANT PRODUCTION DESIGNER VERONIKA MERLIN PROP MASTERS CHRISTIAN HAIZINGER STEFANIE LEHMKUL COSTUME DESIGNER ESTHER WALZ MAKE UP ELLEN HOFMANN-JUST FRIDERIKE WEBER CASTING MARKUS SCHLEINZER LISA OLAH SUSANNE RITTER CASTING GAFFER MICHAEL BEITZ CHIEF GRIP OTTO KRATOCHWIL WELCOME HOME 5 THE PLOT Yet another one of those stories we hear almost every day: refugees picked up on the Austrian border after a dramatic chase. And then we never hear of them again. The problem appears to have been solved as usual: detention on remand, and then deportation. But this time, events are completely different, for the story continues in Ghana, where suddenly everything is turned on its head. One dark night, Isaac, a black African aged around 25, crosses the border illegally into Austria. He rapidly becomes the star of a local village football team, and finds himself a girlfriend just as fast. By chance the police discover that his British passport is a forgery. The authorities assume that Isaac is a Ghanaian national, but he vehemently denies this. All the same, the decision is made to deport him. Two police officers, Rösler and Samhaber, are instructed to take Isaac to Accra by plane. But once they get there, everything suddenly starts to go wrong. Major Makebi, chief of the immigration authority in Accra, is absolutely convinced that Isaac's repatriation certificate is a fake, and refuses to allow him entry into Ghana. Because the two police officers have attempted to deceive him, Makebi confiscates Rösler and Samhaber's passports. Until the matter is cleared up, they will not be allowed to leave Accra. However, Rösler and Samhaber have not come prepared to stay in Ghana, having thought they would be flying straight back home on the same plane. As a result, with scarcely any money on them, they are unable to find any accommodation, and neither do they manage to get any money at the bank, since they are not able to present their passports. To make matters worse, it is the weekend, and the Austrian Consulate in Accra is closed until Monday. Like refugees, Rösler and Samhaber find themselves having to spend the night together with street children in a wrecked car. They are freezing cold, since it is the rainy season in Accra, and already very hungry. So the next morning, the two officers attempt to steal a few items of food from the market. They are immediately caught in the act, and taken away to be locked up in Accra police station. No-one believes the absurd story they tell about being police officers, and the Ghanaian police assume them to be wanted British drug dealers who have been sought for some time. And so, Rösler and Samhaber remain in police custody. At least until the Austrian Consulate in Accra opens again on Monday ….. WELCOME HOME 6 ANDREAS GRUBER Born in Wels in Upper Austria. 1974-1982 Studies at the University of Vienna, Section Film & Television, subjects: Script and Direction, Mag.art.; Assistant Director of Axel Corti Since 1978 free-lancing as Screenwriter and Director. April 2001 – August 2002 Professor for Script and Dramaturgy at the Academy of Art and Media in Cologne, Germany. Since September 2002 Professor of Direction and Script at the University for Television and Film in Munich. 2004 Das Blaue vom Himmel Documentary for ORF - Screenplay and Director Die Heimatkunde des Realitätenhändlers Documentary for ORF - Screenplay and Director 2003 Welcome Home Screenplay and Director Austrian/German Coproduction for Cinema Hofer Filmtage 2004 Moscow Int. Film Festival (In Competition) 2005 2001 Bella Block XII - Im Namen der Ehre Thriller for ZDF - Director „Sein Kampf“ Documentary for ORF - Screenplay and Director 2000 Die Gutmenschen Documentary - Screenplay and Director 1998 Sonderauftrag Linz Documentary - Screenplay and Director Awards: Romy 2000 für beste Fernsehregie 1997 Die Schuld der Liebe (The Debt of Love) Int. Production for Cinema with Sandrine Bonnaire, Rüdiger Vogler, Hanns Zischler, a.o. Screenplay and Director Filmfestival San Sebastian (In Competition) 1997 Hofer Filmtage 1997 Viennale 1997 Int. Filmfestival Brussels (In Competition) 1998 Int. Filmfestival Göteborg 1998 1995 Das verletzte Lächeln ZDF-TV Feature - Screenplay and Director 1994 Hasenjagd - Vor lauter Feigheit gibt es kein Erbarmen Feature Film - Screenplay and Director Awards: Spezialpreis der Jury, Filmfestival San Sebastian 1994 Kritikerpreis, Festival International Du Film D´Amiens 1994 Kulturpreis für Filmkunst des Landes OÖ 1994 Preis der Publikumsjury, Diagonale Salzburg 1994 WELCOME HOME 7 1. Preis FilmFest Schwerin 1995 Nominierung zum Deutschen Bundesfilmpreis 1995 (Best Film) Großer Preis, Int. Filmfestival Figueira da Foz 1995 Österreichischer Filmpreis Goldenes Ticket 1995 Sonderpreis der Kath. Filmkommission 1995 Deutscher Kritikerpreis für Film 1995 Preis der Österreichischen Filmtage Wels 1996 Invited to more than 60 Filmfestivals worldwide. 1991 Erste Wahrnehmung Documentary - Screenplay and Director FIPA 1992 Cannes 1989 Shalom General TV Feature - Screenplay and Director Awards: Max Ophüls Preis, Saarbrücken1990 1. Preis Filmschau Nürnberg 1990 Fernsehpreis der österreichischen Volksbildung für 1989 1. Preis für besten Fernsehfilm, FIPA Cannes 1991 Kritikerpreis, Int. Filmfestival Verona 1991 1988 T4 - Hartheim 1, Sterben und Leben im Schloß Documentary Codirector: Egon Humer und Johannes Neuhauser Awards: Stern des Jahres 1988 der Münchner AZ für die beste Fernsehproduktion Nominierung zum europäischen Filmpreis 1989 Unda-Preis 1989 für die beste Fernsehproduktion 1987 Leichenreden TV Feature - Screenplay and Director Awards: Internationaler Unda/Wacc Preis 1989 Hilversum 1985 Ein wenig Wärme für die Nacht TV Feature for ORF - Screenplay and Director 1984 Unser Mann in Bangkok TV Feature for ORF - Screenplay and Director 1983 Drinnen und Draußen Feature Film - Screenplay and Director Awards: Max Ophüls Förderpreis`84 Saarbrücken Berlinale`84, Viennale`84 1980 Ab morgen wird sich alles ändern Graduation Film - Screenplay and Director Awards: Bundesfilmförderungspreis 1982 2. Preis Goldener Bobby 1981 since 1980 more than 50 Documentaries for ORF e.g. Icarus-SkyArtConference Andere Avantgarde Der österreichische Filmalltag Besser die Hände gefesselt als der Wille Die Stadt in der Wüste 1978 Besucherdienst TV Feature for ORF - Screenplay and Director WELCOME HOME 8 GEORG FRIEDRICH Born in Vienna 1966 Shootingstar 2004 Cinema 2004 „In Orbit“, Director: A. Maccarone „Keller, Director: E. Urthaler „Spiele leben“, Director: A. Swoboda – leading part 2003 „Welcome Home“, Director: A. Gruber „C(r)ook“, Director: P. Danquart „Auf Wolke 7“, Director: M. Grimm „Silentium“, Director: W. Murnberger 2002 „Wolfzeit“ , Director: M. Haneke (Cannes 2003) „Hurensohn“, Director: M. Sturminger „Donau“, Director: G. Rebic „Böse Zellen“, Director: B. Albert „Kaltfront“, Director: V. Hirtz „Nacktschnecken“, Director: M. Glawogger 2001 „Hundstage“, Director: U. Seidl (Venedig 2002) „Die Klavierspielerin“, Director: M. Haneke (Cannes 2001) a.o. „71 Fragmente einer Chronologie des Zufalls“, Director: M. Haneke „Der 7. Kontinent“, Director: M. Haneke „Ein Sohn aus gutem Hause“, Director: K. Brandauer „Kinder der Landstrasse“, Director: U. Egger TV-Films 2004 „Liebe Amelie“, Director: M. Pfeiffer 2002 „Tatort“, Director: M. Weinhart 2001 „Blumen für Polt“, Director: J. Pölsler 2000 „Polt muss weinen“, Director: J. Pölsler „Die Verhaftung des Johann Nepomuk Nestroy“, Director: D. Berner a.o.: „Opernball“, Director: U. Egger „Die Liebe des Ganoven“, Director: P.I. Huemer „Wanderjahre“, Director: B. Fischerauer „Das Geständnis“, Director: K. Kino WELCOME HOME 9 RAINER EGGER Born in Innsbruck. CINEMA 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1994 1992 1990 1988 1986 1982 “WELCOME HOME”, Director: Andreas Gruber „STRUGGLE“, Director: Ruth Mader „VOLLGAS“, Director: Sabine Derflinger „DIE GOTTESANBETERIN“, Director: Paul Harather „COMMERCIAL MEN“, Director: Lars Krawinkel „PAUL IS DEAD“, Director: Hendrik Handloegten “THE RED VIOLIN”, Director: Francois Girard “DIE SCHULD DER LIEBE“, Director: Andreas Gruber „DER UNFISCH“, Director: Robert Dornhelm „HASENJAGD“, Director: Andreas Gruber – leading part „HALBE WELT“, Director: Florian Flicker – leading part „SHALOM GENERAL“, Director: Andreas Gruber – leading part „WALLERS LETZTER GANG“, Director: Christoph Wagner „PARADISE GMBH“, Director: Nikolaus Leytner „PHOENIX UM DIE ECKE“, Director: Peter Patzak – leading part AWARDS: “Best Actor Award: Max Ophüls-Festival 1990” “Best Actor Award: Alpinale 1987“ TV-Films (Selection): 2004 2002 2001 2000 1997 1996 1995 1993 1992 1987 WELCOME HOME „SOKO MÜNCHEN“, Director: Bodo Schwarz „TRAUTMANN“, Director: Thoma Roth „DIE HEILERIN“, Director: Holger Barthel „DER BULLE VON TÖLZ“, Director: Werner Masten „UM HIMMELS WILLEN“, Director: Wolfgang Hübner „D.I.K. - JAGD AUF VIRUS X“, Director: Andreas Senn „MEDICOPTER 117“, Director: Thomas Nikel „ANDREAS HOFER“, Director: Xaver Schwarzenberger „DIE FRAU DIE EINEN MÖRDER LIEBTE“, Director: Olaf Kreinsen „DIE NEUE - MORDGESCHICHTEN AM MONDSEE“, Director: Jörg Grünler, Detlef Rönfeldt a.o. – leading part „KOMMISSAR REX“, Director: Wolfgang Dickmann „DER SEE”, Director: Thomas Roth „DAS VERLETZTE LÄCHELN“, Director: Andreas Gruber – leading part „VERKAUFTE HEIMAT / Feuernacht / Komplott“, Director: Felix Mitterer „DIESES NAIVE VERLANGEN“, Director: Götz Spielmann – leading part „PIZZAS UND BERGE“, Director: Hermann Dunzendorfer – leading part 10 ABDUL SALIS Born in London 1979 Parents are from Ghana, moved to London in 1975. FEATURE FILMS: Julius in ANIMAL Director: Rose Bosch, Animal Prods Oumar in SAHARA Director: Breck Eisner, Sahara Prods Isaac in WELCOME HOME Director: Andreas Gruber, Wega-Film / Colonia Media Tony in LOVE, ACTUALLY Director: Richard Curtis, DNA / Working Title TELEVISION: Rowan Angelis in GIFTED Director: Douglas McKinnon, Red Prods Barry in TREVOR’S WORLD OF SPORT (7 Episodes) Director: Andy Hamilton, Hat Trick Series Noble in CASUALTY XVII Director: Richard Holthouse, BBC Carlton in ROGER ROGER III Director: Roger Bamford, BBC Vince (Leading Character) in THE HIDDEN CITY Directors: Luke Hyams / Richard Johnson THEATRE: Leonardo in BLOOD WEDDING Director: Lawrence Kansor Zan in THE ROAD Director: Nelson Danter Riff in WEST SIDE STORY Director: Veronica Caj WELCOME HOME 11 JOHANNES SILBERSCHNEIDER Born in Mautern/Styria. FEATURE FILMS/TV FEATURES (Selection): 2004 Der arme Verschwender, Director: Michael Kreihsl Der Bestseller III – Wiener Blut, Director: Dirk Regel 2003 Luisa Sanfelice, Director: Paolo und Vittorio Taviani Welcome Home, Director: Andreas Gruber Silentium, Director: Wolfgang Murnberger Tatort – Tod unter der Orgel, Director: Walter Bannert Die Verbrechen des Prof. Capellari, Director: Dirk Regel Im Namen des Herren, Director: Bernd Fischerauer 2002 In Liebe vereint, Director: Holger Barthel 2001 Anne Frank – The Whole Story, Director: Robert Dornhelm Trautmann – Nichts ist so fein gesponnen, Director: Thomas Roth Zwei Affären und noch mehr Kinder, Director: Wolfram Paulus Tigermännchen sucht Tigerweibchen, Director: Michael Kreihsl 2000 Copyshop, Director: Virgil Widrich Zwölfeläuten, Director: Harald Sicheritz Tatort – Nichts mehr im Griff, Director: Walter Bannert Tatort – Ein mörderisches Märchen, Director: Manuel Siebenmann Trautmann – Wer heikel ist, bleibt übrig, Director: Harald Sicheritz u.a. La niňa de tus ojos, Director: Fernando Trueba Drei Herren, Director: Nikolaus Leytner Das Schloß, Director: Michael Haneke Charms Zwischenfälle, Director: Michael Kreihsl Männerpension, Director: Detlev Buck Kaspar Hauser, Director: Peter Sehr I know the Way to the Hofbräuhaus, Director: Herbert Achternbusch Die Flucht, Director: David Rühm Niemandsland, Director: Herbert Achternbusch Atemnot, Director: Käthe Kratz Die Rebellion, Director: Michael Haneke Internationale Zone, Director: Milan Dor Die Jahrhundert-Revue, Director: Harald Sicheritz Herrenjahre, Director: Axel Corti An uns glaubt Gott nicht mehr, Director: Axel Corti WELCOME HOME 12 ABDI GOUHAD Born in Somaliland, Residence London, U. K. FILM YOU CAN RUN....! Director: Lucy Bailey WELCOME HOME Director: Andreas Gruber DIRTY PRETTY THINGS Director: Stephen Frears I’LL SLEEP WHEN I’M DEAD Director: Mike Hodges ROLLERBALL Director: Norman Gewison THEATRE (Selection) Sinbad in THE CINNAMON VEIL Director: Sandy Maberley Moses in BABY DOLL Director: Lucy Bailey Hamdi in TALES OF A CITY Director: Sandy Maberley Messenger in HIPPOLYTUS Director: Sandy Maberley Tereus in THE LOVE OF THE NIGHINGALE Director: Sandy Maberley Sanyamo in SOUTH SEA BUBBLE Director: Alan Davies Gus in TOYS IN THE ATTIC Director: Leon Rubin Mr. Bailey in MRS BAILY GOES TO WAR Director: David Pammenter Steve in SCENES FROM SOWETO Director: Mike Kay Ismay in THE TITANIC Director: Jim Bywater Abdi’s work also includes TV and Radio for BBC and Independent TV Channels. WELCOME HOME 13 NINA BLUM Nina Blum was born in Vienna on 5 September 1977. After graduating from high school, she studied psychology in Vienna and Barcelona. During her studies, she enrolled in a drama course at the Schauspielschule Krauss in Vienna, completing her training in 2001. She also studied singing with James Moore, and dance (afro, jazz, flamenco) at the Tanzforum Wien. Since then, she has performed in numerous theatre and musical productions which have included appearances at the Landestheater Graz, Raimundtheater, Stadttheater Klagenfurt, Reichenau Festival, Theater Kosmos Bregenz, dieTheater Künstlerhaus, Scala Wien and many other venues. On television, she most recently appeared in Dinner for two and Sugar Granny (directed by Xaver Schwarzenberger) as well as in Gefühl ist alles (directed by Reinhard Schwabenitzky). Welcome Home by Andreas Gruber is her first cinema movie. BRIGITTE KARNER Brigitte Karner was born in Völkermarkt, Austria, in 1957, and studied drama at the Schauspielakademie in Zurich. From 1976 to 1979 she performed in Basel and Zurich, appearing in plays by Shakespeare, Schnitzler and Gogol, amongst others. Since 1981 she has also appeared in television and cinema productions, including: 1981 Der Weg ins Glück (directed by Karin Brandauer), 1982 Das zweite Gesicht (directed by Dominik Graf), 1983 Unerreichbare Nähe (directed by Dagmar Hirtz), 1985 Der große Durchblick (directed by Peter Schulze-Rohr), 1991 Der große Bellheim (directed by Dieter Wedel) and 1995 Tödliche Wende (directed by Nico Hofmann). Brigitte Karner also appeared on numerous occasions in the crime series Derrick and Ein Fall für Zwei as well as in several episodes of Tatort, for instance in the 1987 Schimanski Tatort "Einzelhaft" (WDR; directed by Theodor Kotulla), in 1996 in the SFB-Tatort "Tod im Jaguar" by Jens Becker, and in 1997 in the BR-Tatort "Bluthunde" (directed by Peter Schulze-Rohr). WELCOME HOME 14 WEGA FILM The Viennese film production company WEGA-Film was founded in 1980. With its broad spectrum of promotional/commercial, documentary and feature films, today WEGA-Film is one of Austria's most outstanding film production companies. The company's breakthrough in terms of success came in 1985 with the comic thriller MÜLLER’S BÜRO, directed by Niki List, and which became the most watched movie in Austria since the 1950s. In the 1980s, WEGA-Film began working with leading director Michael Haneke. So far the company has produced nine of his feature films, including DER SIEBENTE KONTINENT (THE SEVENTH CONTINENT), BENNY’S VIDEO, 71 FRAGMENTE EINER CHRONOLOGIE DES ZUFALLS (71 FRAGMENTS OF A CHRONOLOGY OF CHANCE), FUNNY GAMES, DIE KLAVIERSPIELERIN (THE PIANO TEACHER), WOLFZEIT (TIME OF THE WOLF) and CACHÉ (HIDDEN). In total, over 40 feature films have been produced over the past twenty years – many with international contributors and well-known directors such as Andreas Gruber, Michael Kreihsl, Wolfgang Glück, Paulus Manker, Michael Verhoeven, Xaver Schwarzenberger, Barna Kabay, Andreas Prochaska, Jack Gold, JeanMichel Ribes and others. In terms of documentary film, the directors with whom WEGA-Film has worked include Elisabeth Scharang, Manfred Corinne, Pierre Colibeuf and Ulrich Seidl; in addition, TV films have been produced with Michael Haneke, Peter Patzak, Johannes Fabrick, Gernot Friedel and Michael Cencig. WELCOME HOME 15
