The Architect (Der Architekt)

Germany, 2008, color, 92 min., German with English subtitles
Director: Ina Weisse Screenplay: Ina Weisse, Daphne Charizani Producer: Peter Schwartzkopff Cast: Josef Bierbichler, Hilde van Mieghem, Matthias Schweighöfer, Sophie Rois, Sandra Hüller International Sales: M-Appeal

A good old-fashioned German art film, THE ARCHITECT stars the great Josef Bierbichler (Doris Dörrie’s STRAIGHT THROUGH THE HEART, Tom Tykwer’s WINTER SLEEPERS, Michael Haneke’s THE WHITE RIBBON) as repressed patriarch Georg Winter. Summoned to the Tyrol upon the death of his mother, he’s trapped by a snowstorm in the village with wife Eva (Hilde van Mieghem) and children Jan (Matthias Schweighöfer) and Reh (Sandra Hüller, from REQUIEM and MADONNAS). When former neighbor Hanna (Sophie Rois) and Alex (Lucas Zolgar)—her teenaged son with George—enter the picture, the secrets of this dysfunctional family begin to tumble forth.
First-time director Ina Weisse knows full well the symbolism front and center in her story, embracing it as the return to vintage German chamber drama it is. Veteran cinematographer Carl-Friedrich Koschnick (GO FOR ZUCKER!) ice-cold images are chillingly appropriate to the dark night of these stranded souls.—Eddie Cockrell

Ina Weisse (b: 1968, Berlin) studied acting at Munich’s renowned Otto Falkenberg Drama school, philosophy in Heidelberg and directing in Hamburg. Following her extensive stage work she segued to films and television. Her three short films behind the camera include the award winning ALLES ANDERS (2002). THE ARCHITECT is her fiction feature debut.