HOTEL

Hotel Austria/Germany

Irene has just begun a job as a front-desk clerk in a small mountain resort. Residing in the hotel itself, Irena has plenty of time to wander the long, empty corridors at night'Time also to become suspicious about the whereabouts of the woman she replaced, who recently disappeared without a trace. Nobody on the small staff knows what became of her, and when Irene is told of the area's unenviable reputation as a place where people go missing, her unease and paranoia grows. The corridors appear longer, the shadows in the corners seem darker and there is talk that the neighbouring forest is enchanted, where demons may lurk.

With a cool, visually rich aesthetic, director Jessica Hausner has crafted an eerie psychological David Lynchian chiller. Screened at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard section, Hotel is enigmatic and beautifully controlled.

'[Hotel] has the uncompromisingly dark tone that many will associate with the German-born Austrian director Michael Haneke [Time of the Wolf, MIFF 2003].' -The Guardian

D/S Jessica Hausner P Antonin Svoboda, Philippe Boder, Martin Gschlacht, Susanne Marian WS The Co-Production Office L German w/English subtitles TD 35mm/Col/2004/82mins

Jessica Hausner was born in Vienna, Austria in 1972. Films include: Flora (1996, short), Inter-View (1999, short), Lovely Rita (2001).