'A spoonful of sugar' Makes TAKING IT BACK an Enjoyable Ride
First time director Andreas Schmied tells the story of a steel factory and its workers as they struggle to keep their jobs in this blue-collar Austrian town. Schmied creates a fairy tale world where this community must band together to take back their jobs.
After watching many films with dark and serious themes this past weekend, it was so refreshing to see this movie as it deals with serious subject matter with comedy and brevity. TAKING IT BACK pits the local workers against their ruthless bosses who are only seeking to line their own pockets. Films about corporate greed tend to be on the more serious thriller or dramatic side, but this film aims to show the plight of the working class through the eyes of characters who try to look at the lighter side of life no matter what's going on around them.
Andreas Schmied (left) and actress Hilde Dalik.
Schmied grew up not far from where the movie was filmed and knows first hand about these communities; he even worked in a steel factory for a time. His desire was to make a movie about the people that he knew from his life. He told us that he was inspired by the Italian neorealist Vittorio De Sica, maybe best known for BICYCLE THEVES - a really great movie to check out, by the way. "These are simple stories about the plight of workers, about the plight of fisherman, about small villages."
But when Schmied began writing, "It started very serious and I became very bored with it.“ Adding the comedy made the story come to life, "it’s also like a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down." He submitted his script and received funding from Austrian Film Institute, Vienna Film Fund, and others. "This was a total surprise because its my first movie," he told us laughing, "what the hell am I doing here?" But as state funded film, with large crew and good budget, "You could trust that things could get done," he said "because this was a professional production."
After becoming a hit in Austria, Schmied submitted TAKING IT BACK to the Austin Film Festival just under the deadline. He had always wanted to come to Austin largely because of its filmmakers he saw in the 90's. “There were people like Richard Linklater with SLACKER and DAZED AND CONFUSED…and I know that I saw it in the cinemas and I was totally blown away. And I thought if this is a movie, I can make one and these were the movies that empowered me.”
TAKING IT BACK mixes a romantic comedy with the more serious topic of the workers who are forced out of their jobs and must fight to save not just the factory but their community as well. The film was shot on 35mm over 30 days in Austria and features some very funny performances from its cast. Don't miss the final screening of TAKING IT BACK. It plays tonight at the Rollins Theatre at 7:00pm.
Update from the AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL
So we've been rather quiet from the festival. And here's why!
On Wednesday I arrived in the afternoon and attended the Austin Film and Food party to rub elbows with the filmmakers and writers at the festival. There was tons of free food and beer supplied, so I was up late. Thursday I hopped in my little car2go - which is really a great service and we're very proud to have them as a sponsor for Ultraween - and adventured around Austin. I found my way into the opening night screenings of THE HUMBLING, starring Al Pacino and Greta Gerwig, and then saw Richard LaGravenese's THE LAST FIVE YEARS. I enjoyed both films with the former playing along similar lines as BIRDMAN, and the latter as an adventure in music. The movie, sung from beginning to end, is based on the musical written by Jason Robert Brown featuring the talent of Anna Kendrick (PITCH PERFECT) and Jeremy Jordan.
On Friday I went to see an episode of MAD MEN presented by its showrunner and creator Matthew Weiner. Then I went to see 21 YEARS RICHARD LINKLATER, a love-letter to the much beloved Austin filmmaker of such greats as DAZED AND CONFUSED, BEFORE SUNRISE, BEFORE SUNSET, and many others including his most recent BOYHOOD - which was fantastic. Then came Saturday which was filled with wonderful panels, interviews with the crew from DAWN PATROL, including director Daniel Petrie Jr., writers Rachel Long and Brian Pittman, and actor Jeff Fahey and then the premiere of their movie that night. (Stay tuned for more about DAWN PATROL coming later this week!)
And since then have seen WILD, 7 MINUTES, 61 BULLETS, THE LAST TIME YOU HAD FUN, LOOKING FOR LIONS, THE HOMESMAN, PHANTOM HALO, TAKING IT BACK, some great shorts including THIS IS NORMAL, A DAY IN EDEN, and ENTRAIN, and finally tonight THE IMITATION GAME. It's been a whirlwind and my brain might be melting. But it's been amazing to be here with the filmmakers and writers.
Stay tuned - but don't hold your breath - for more stuff heading your way including reviews and my conversations with the crew from 7 MINUTES and director of TAKING IT BACK.