The Spirit of Time

“The Spirit of Time”, still, 1985

Story board “The Spirit of Time”, 1983-85

Making of “The Spirit of Time”, 1983-85

Making of “The Spirit of Time”, 1983, first day of shooting

Making of “The Spirit of Time”, 1983-85

Making of “The Spirit of Time”, 1983-85, photo: Christoph Wagner

Making of “The Spirit of Time”, 1983-85

A 1983-1985, Super-8-mm
Length: 112 min.

A genre cross-over mixing action, horror and science fiction in the past, present and future. Virgil Widrich completed this full-length film at the age of 17.

“Two hours of cinematic fireworks.” (Horst Christoph, Profil)

Events, worldwide.

8 events total

March 26, 199326.03.1993

Graz – Austria
Graz, Austria
December 22, 199122.12.1991

Salzburg – Austria
Salzburg, Austria
April 28, 198728.04.1987

Das Kino – Salzburg – Austria
Salzburg, Austria
December 11, 198511.12.1985

At age 18, his first public speech (on “Vom Geist der Zeit” at the invitation of the Academy of Design in Linz). – Linz – Austria
Linz, Austria
October 16, 198516.10.1985

“Vom Geist der Zeit” is screened at the Austrian Film Days in Wels. The film consists of over 1.000 shots, some of which – Wels – Austria
Wels, Austria
April 21, 198521.04.1985

Salzburg – Austria
Salzburg, Austria
January 1, 198401.01.1984

Work as an extra and then property man for the Salzburg Festival for productions by Jean-Pierre Ponelle, Michael Hampe, Gernot Friedel, Johannes Schaaf and Herbert von Karajan to raise the Schilling 70,000 (today about Euro 5.000) budget for “Vom Geist der Zeit.”
January 1, 198301.01.1983

After lengthy preparations, work begins on his first full-length feature film, “Vom Geist der Zeit.” (“The Spirit of Time”) While his grades drop, a 14-month shooting produces a 112-minute genre cross-over mixing action, horror and science fiction in the past, present and future. Peter Handke plays a guest role as an excited passer-by and lay actors from his school play the other parts. The living room in his parents’ house is closed for a period of almost two years due to filming.