Directed by Ruth Beckermann
Austria, 2018
Documentary
German, French and English (with English subtitles)
94 minutes
2019 Academy Awards - Official Selection
Best Foreign Language Film - Austria
Winner, Glashütte Original - Documentary Award
Berlin International Film Festival 2018
A film about truth and lies and how a dishonest man can rise to power.
Ruth Beckermann documents the process of uncovering former UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim’s wartime past. It shows the swift succession of new allegations by the World Jewish Congress during his Austrian presidential campaign, the denial by the Austrian political class, the outbreak of anti-Semitism and patriotism, which finally led to his election.
Created from international archive material and what Beckermann shot at the time, the film shows that history repeats itself time and time again.
The Waldheim Waltz
Awards
Winner - Jury Prize
Atlanta Jewish Film Festival 2019
Named One of the Best Films of 2018 by film critics Richard Brody (The New Yorker) and J. Hoberman
Official Entry - Austria
Best Foreign Language Film
2019 Academy Awards
Winner, Glashütte Original Documentary Award - Berlin International Film Festival 2018