Frankreich, wir kommen

This drama in three acts depicts the journey of the Austrian national soccer team to the World Cup finals in France as seen through the eyes of a journalist, a bank examiner and his mother, a pensioner, an alcoholic, a large family, a coach for a child’s team and a blind man. Against the backdrop of the games against Cameroon, Chile and Italy, this film tells a story of faith, love and hope in front of the television screen ‚ the screen which shows some of the world’s inhabitants sitting before it, mesmerized. I should really have made a film that was critical of sports. However, I happen to love soccer. The disparity was bound to prove either fatal or fertile. At all events, I decided against setting up my camera behind the scenes and positioned myself where I’m to be found at any soccer game: sometimes in the stadium, more often in front of a television set. (Michael Glawogger)