Austrian filmmaker Manuel Wetscher is set to debut his poignant feature film, Eklipse, at the 83rd Venice Film Festival, a deeply personal work that grapples with the enduring taboos surrounding AIDS and the profound fear of social exclusion. Premiering on September 5 in the festival’s prestigious Horizons section, the film draws directly from Wetscher’s own experience of his father’s death from AIDS in 1993, a truth concealed from him for years, highlighting a societal silence that continues to resonate.
A Deeply Personal Genesis for ‘Eklipse’
Wetscher, known for his compelling fiction shorts like 2018’s Four Seasons, 2021’s At Night When Mice Scream, and 2022’s Magma, ventured into more personal territory with his 2024 experimental short documentary Richard. That film laid the groundwork for Eklipse, exploring the revelation of his father’s true cause of death. Wetscher recounted learning the truth at 17 from a relative, a decade after being told initially of pneumonia, then lung cancer. His father died of AIDS at 40, a diagnosis cloaked in secrecy by his family, a common practice during the height of the AIDS epidemic when fear and misinformation were rampant. This personal trauma forms the emotional core and narrative impetus for his feature film debut.
The Venice Premiere and Narrative Unveiling
The title, Eklipse, which means "eclipse" and is deliberately spelled with a ‘k’ in both its German and international versions for distinctiveness, hints at the film’s thematic exploration of hidden truths and shadows. Set in the 1990s on an alpine dairy farm in Austria, the film stars Moritz Hohlrieder as Tomy and Finley Brown as his best friend Chris. The two teenagers spend a summer immersed in farm duties with Tomy’s uncle, portrayed by Hannes Perkmann, amidst the vast, natural landscape.
However, the idyllic setting is soon overshadowed by the impending darkness suggested by the title. Tomy’s father is hospitalized, and his mother, like Wetscher’s own family, chooses to withhold the real reason for his illness. The narrative takes a dramatic turn when Chris discovers Tomy’s father is suffering from "the gay disease," a pejorative term that underscored the intense stigma associated with AIDS at the time. This revelation triggers Chris’s fear, leading to Tomy’s sudden confrontation with rejection and the isolating silence of his loved ones. The film, a co-production between Austria’s Eutopiafilm and Italy’s Albolina Film, is co-written by Wetscher and Bernhard Jarosch, with cinematography by Simone Hart and editing by Anna Kirst. Films Boutique is managing global sales for the highly anticipated title.
Confronting AIDS Taboos and Societal Secrecy in ‘Eklipse’
In a director’s statement, Wetscher articulated Eklipse‘s core mission: "It is a film about the taboos surrounding AIDS and the fear of social exclusion. It tells the story of how prejudice and ignorance affect the friendship between two boys, and how social contexts are mirrored within the microcosm of a family." He emphasized his intent to "create memories by exploring the sensory and tactile qualities of cinema," a testament to the immersive experience he aims to deliver.
Wetscher described the filmmaking process as a "cinematic game," skillfully blending autobiographical elements with fictionalized narratives. While drawing heavily on the raw experience of losing his father to Kaposi’s sarcoma, an AIDS-related cancer, in 1993, the script also incorporates imaginative storytelling. His childhood summers spent working on his grandfather’s farm in Tirol and his memory of the 1999 solar eclipse in that region provided authentic backdrops and symbolic imagery for the film. This careful balance allows the film to reflect on societal mechanics and the challenging dilemma of what truths to disclose to a child.
The filmmaker also highlighted the ambitious task of translating the physical and sensorial richness of an alpine environment – from the palpable atmosphere of a stable housing 50 cows to the distinct smells and sounds – into a cinematic experience. This involved meticulous team selection, innovative sound design, and musical compositions utilizing synthesizers and loops to create a truly immersive and direct sensory journey for the audience.
Memory, Authenticity, and Universal Resonance
A striking aspect of Eklipse is Wetscher’s integration of actual home videos and photographs from his personal life. These include a cameo of himself as a baby and a poignant image of his father that the boys in the film gaze upon. By incorporating these authentic materials, Wetscher infuses the film with genuine emotion, transforming his private memories into universal reflections on loss and remembrance. "For cinema, you play with [such material and emotion] and then it becomes something else," he explained. "In the film, it becomes the character’s memory."
The celestial phenomenon of an eclipse serves as a powerful metaphor throughout the film. Wetscher connected the light from distant stars, which has traveled for eons, to the nature of memory itself—distant yet immediately present when recalled. He also noted a lesser-known meaning of "eclipse" in virology, referring to the phase when an infection has entered the body but has not yet infected cells. This dual symbolism—the visible and invisible, knowing and not knowing—became central to the film’s dramatic structure and thematic depth.
Collective Memory and the Lingering Shadow of AIDS
The production of Eklipse fostered an environment of shared reflection among the cast and crew. Wetscher, recognizing that this was his debut feature, sought a balance of newer talent and experienced professionals. Conversations with crew members who lived through the 1990s AIDS crisis and lost friends to the disease, as well as an accidental encounter with a doctor who worked at the Innsbruck hospital where his father was treated, provided invaluable insights. These discussions illuminated the intense fear, social isolation, and communication challenges prevalent during that era. This collective understanding not only enriched the film but also enabled Wetscher to engage in deeper conversations with his own mother about their family’s past. His family is expected to attend the film’s Austrian premiere.
While the film’s conception predates the recent resurgence of backlash against queer people and LGBTQ+ rights, Wetscher acknowledged the unsettling timeliness of its themes. "I can see the dynamics, and that’s just scary how people who are different or live another way are being discriminated, and how populism is using that," he stated. However, he clarified that Eklipse fundamentally focuses on "the friendship, the vulnerability of the people and the families," asserting that "the smaller the details we show, the more vulnerable we become, but through these small things, you understand so much about the dynamic and the universal issues and bonds."
Crafting the World of ‘Eklipse’: Casting and Influences
Finding the right young actors for Tomy and Chris was crucial for Eklipse. The casting process began online and extended to local schools, with a deliberate focus on the region where filming took place. This ensured the actors possessed an authentic connection to the specific dialect and cultural nuances essential for realism. Moritz Hohlrieder and Finley Brown were selected after chemistry reads and practical tests on the mountain, where they interacted with cows and performed farm duties alongside Georg, who plays the uncle, to ensure their comfort and authenticity in the alpine environment.
Wetscher revealed that the title Eklipse was decided upon early in the development process and remained steadfast despite internal discussions. Its unique ‘K’ spelling was a deliberate choice for distinctiveness and international recognition. The director also cited cinematic inspirations that informed Eklipse‘s aesthetic and thematic approach, including Andrea Arnold’s Cow for its raw portrayal of animal life, Alice Diop’s Saint Omer, and Céline Sciamma’s Petite Maman for their ability to achieve authenticity and simplicity while conveying broader, profound narratives.
The film’s concluding moments, a stark cut to black, are a deliberate artistic choice. Wetscher likened it to "another eclipse," an "aftermath" or "echo" that invites viewers to reflect on the images and sounds they have just experienced, allowing the narrative to linger and resonate long after the screen goes dark. This symbolic ending reinforces the film’s central themes of hidden truths, the passage of time, and the enduring impact of memory.
