Vienna (AP) – Austrian director Ulrich Seidl has canceled his participation in the world premiere at the San Sebastián film festival after allegations about his latest film “Sparta”. Seidl (“Dog Days”) thanked the director of the Spanish festival, José Luis Rebordinos, for showing the strip “despite the pressures of the media and despite the great turbulence”. In San Sebastián, the film was shown several times on Sunday.
Originally, Seidl wanted to accompany his work in San Sebastián. “However, I realized that my presence at the premiere could have overshadowed the reception of the film, as now is the time for ‘Sparta’ to speak for itself,” the 69-year-old director said in a statement.
The child actors thing
The controversy over the shooting conditions of the film about a man with pedophile tendencies was sparked by a report on “Spiegel”. As a result, child actors in Romania faced scenes of alcoholism, violence and nudity without adequate preparation and care. In addition, it is said that the rules for working with children were not observed. The Viennese city newspaper “Falter” also published incriminating statements from members of the production team this week. Seidl denied the allegations.
The world premiere originally scheduled for the Toronto Film Festival has been canceled by the organizers. After San Sebastián, “Sparta” will also be screened at the Hamburg Film Festival in early October. However, the planned award of the Douglas Sirk Prize to Seidl will not take place in Hamburg, “as the allegations would overshadow an awards ceremony,” as festival director Albert Wiederspiel explained.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 220918-99-806370 / 2
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