12/05/2022 - Vicky Krieps and Ronald Zehrfeld topline the movie as the pair of authors and lovers Ingeborg Bachmann and Max Frisch

l-r: DoP Martin Gschlacht, director Margarethe von Trotta, actress Vicky Krieps, Petra Müller (Film- und Medienstiftung NRW) and producer Bettina Brokemper on the set of Bachmann & Frisch

Shooting on the new feature by Margarethe von Trotta, the biopic Ingeborg Bachmann – Journey into the Desert [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Margarethe von Trotta
film profile], started at the end of March in Jordan and Luxembourg. At the moment, the team is shooting in Cologne, and Vienna, Zurich and Rome will follow by the time June comes around. In the movie, the German director (Searching for Ingmar Bergman [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Hannah Arendt [+see also:
trailer
interview: Margarethe von Trotta
film profile]) focuses on author Ingeborg Bachmann (1926-1973) and her turbulent life. Bachmann, who is played by Luxembourgish thesp Vicky Krieps, travelled a great deal during her lifetime, wrote a number of radical texts and gave many lectures. She was, moreover, involved in a passionate romantic relationship with Swiss author Max Frisch.

Krieps is currently a very busy actress. At last year’s Cannes Film Festival, she represented several films at once, such as Bergman Island [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mia Hansen-Løve
film profile] and Hold Me Tight [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], and is returning to the Croisette this year with Corsage [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Marie Kreutzer
interview: Marie Kreutzer
film profile] by Marie Kreutzer, in which she plays the main role. The part of Max Frisch will be played by German actor Ronald Zehrfeld (Talking About the Weather [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Annika Pinske
film profile], Blame Game [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Sweethearts [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), who is, for now, mainly active in the German-speaking film world. The feature boasts an international cast in the supporting roles, including Austrian actor Tobias Resch (Chasing the Line [+see also:
film review
film profile]), Swiss thesps Basil Eidenbenz (Oh, Ramona! [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) and Luna Wedler (The Forger [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maggie Peren
film profile], Je suis Karl [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Christian Schwochow
film profile], Soul of a Beast [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lorenz Merz
film profile]), and Luxembourg’s Marc Limpach (The Forger, Hinterland [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Stefan Ruzowitzky
film profile], Free Country [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]).

Von Trotta is not only in charge of directing the film; she also wrote the script for it. She is a filmmaker who can look back on a lengthy career and is surely one of the most acclaimed directors from Germany. She has won several prizes since her beginnings in the early 1970s, such as the Golden Lion at Venice (with 1981’s The German Sisters), the David di Donatello and various German Film Awards. In charge of the cinematography is Austrian DoP Martin Gschlacht (Little Joe [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jessica Hausner
film profile]), the editing Germany’s Hansjörg Weißbrich (I'm Your Man [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maria Schrader
film profile], Rival [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], Exile [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Visar Morina
film profile]) and the set design Switzerland’s Su Erdt (Open Season [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], Zwingli [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]).

Ingeborg Bachmann – Journey into the Desert is a German-Swiss-Austrian-Luxembourgish co-production being staged by Heimatfilm, tellfilm, Amour Fou Vienna and Amour Fou Luxembourg. It is being produced with the support of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, the Deutscher Filmförderfonds (DFFF), the FFA – Filmförderungsanstalt, Film Fund Luxembourg, FISA - Filmstandort Austria, Zürcher Filmstiftung, Bundesamt für Kultur, the Austrian Film Institute, FISS, MEDIA Desk Suisse, G + B Schwyzer Stiftung and Land Kärnten, in cooperation with SRF/SRG SSR, the ORF Film/Television Agreement and Eurimages.

The release in German cinemas is planned for 2023. Alamode Film and MFA+ will be in charge of its distribution.