Austrian-German Shingle Schubert Expands Arthouse Slate with Sandra Hüller Drama

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The Austrian-German production company Schubert is progressing with a series of films from unique filmmaker artists, which includes the historical drama “Rose,” directed by the Austrian writer-director Markus Schleinzer and featuring Sandra Hüller (“The Zone of Interest”) in the cast.

Established by Johannes Schubert in 2020, this company with offices in Vienna and Berlin collaborated with ROW Pictures in Leipzig and Walker + Worm Film in Munich on “Rose,” Schleinzer’s third feature film. This production tells the story of a 17th-century woman who, disguised as a man, starts anew in a protestant village towards the end of the Thirty Years’ War. The Match Factory represents this project internationally and it is now in its final stages of post-production, with plans for its release later this year.

Additionally, the upcoming film “Keep Quiet” by Franz Böhm is being prepared for release. Notably, Böhm recently won a BAFTA for his short film “Rock, Paper, Scissors.” This will be their second collaboration, following the success of “Dear Future Children” at Hot Docs. In this English-language political thriller, co-directed by Suli Kurban, two journalists are attempting to uncover the truth about the alleged incarceration of Uyghur people in detention camps located in Western China.

This week, I showcased my film at the EFM’s Berlinale Co-Production Market, marking a crucial step towards securing funding for the project. The production is slated to begin later in the year. Malte Grunert, who was instrumental in “All Quiet on the Western Front”, has joined as executive producer. Our film has garnered support from broadcasters such as SWR, Arte, BR and ORF, along with funders like MFG Film Funding, the German Federal Film Board (FFA), FFF Bayern, HessenFilm, the Austrian Film Institute, and the Vienna Film Fund. As a movie enthusiast, I’m thrilled about this progress!

Schubert and Böhm, who are both graduates from the U.K.’s National Film and Television School, are expanding their partnership beyond “Keep Her Quiet” by working on the creation of another full-length English film together.

Schubert will once again join forces with Austrian filmmaker-screenwriter Jessica Hausner, following their initial partnership in the 2023 Cannes Competition film “Club Zero”, co-produced by Philippe Bober’s Production Office.

As a dedicated cinephile, I’m thrilled to share that I’m working on the auteur’s third English-language film, titled “Toxic.” This project is receiving backing from esteemed institutions like the Austrian Film Institute and Vienna Film Fund. This pan-European collaboration aims to delve into the intricate dynamics of today’s workplaces and their detrimental impact on individuals within a turbo-capitalist system. The main filming is slated for 2026. I can hardly wait!

Beyond just being the main contributor, Schubert is also playing a supporting role, acting as a minority partner, in various prominent European collaborative projects. One of these ventures includes the family drama “Our Girls,” written and directed by Mike van Diem, who won an Oscar.

The movie centers around four friends vacationing in the Austrian Alps, whose bond is strained after an incident involving their teenage daughters. The film was beautifully captured by Austrian cinematographer Martin Gschlacht, who won a Silver Bear at Berlinale last year for his work on Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz’s “The Devil’s Bath.” He filmed the entire movie amidst Austria’s breathtaking landscapes.

Located in Amsterdam, Keplerfilm is spearheading a joint production between the Netherlands, Austria, and Belgium. This project is now in its final stages of post-production and is anticipated to make its debut later this year.

According to Schubert, the company is expanding its organizational framework by adding more team members in Austria and Germany. This move is aimed at boosting its increasing lineup of productions while maintaining a flexible and swift approach to cater to each project’s unique requirements. By fostering long-term relationships, the company aspires to create enduring partnerships that will see it thrive alongside filmmakers, producers, and other industry partners across both production and distribution phases.

Schubert states that his company follows a director-guided production style, meaning they’ll travel wherever the filmmakers lead them.

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2025-02-21 13:16