Traverse City Film Festival released the 2019 program marking the 15th Anniversary Year with a “Cinema Saves The World” theme, and featuring over 200 films and events
The Waldheim Waltz (Waldheims Walzerz)
The Waldheim Waltz (Waldheims Walzerz)
NAME OF FILM: THE WALDHEIM WALTZ (WALDHEIMS WALZERZ)
DIRECTOR(S): Ruth Beckermann
STARRING: Kurt Waldheim, Ruth Beckermann
GENRE: Documentary Film
SYNOPSIS: Don’t let the title fool you: this unsettling documentary may be as gracefully crafted as an elegant dance, but the story is a dark descent into a nation’s gruesome history and a warning of the dangers of nationalism. Following the controversial 1986 Austrian presidential campaign of Kurt Waldheim, the film explores the growing revelations not only of his Nazi past but of the country’s disturbing revisionist history and the rising anti-semitism that led to his election. Documentarian and activist Ruth Beckermann deftly weaves together archival materials along with her own footage from her time protesting his candidacy, delivering a deeply personal and frightening narrative that is as relevant today as it was then. A gripping and important film that is essential viewing for anyone that cares about the direction of our nation and the world.
