Foreigners out! Schlingensiefs Container
Foreigners out! Schlingensief's Container was an art and film project in 2000, which took place within the framework of the Vienna Festival. The concept of the project was from Christoph Schlingensief, the director of the film took Paul Poet. The project took over key elements of the internationally successful television show "Big Brother" to criticize this form of entertainment. The primary concern, however, was to point out the, in his opinion still highly popular xenophobia in Western cultures.
Background
The project was installed in Vienna. Shortly before the action took place, the Austrian Freedom Party was elected (FPÖ ), led by Jörg Haider as the second largest party in the National Council. Through a coalition with the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP ), the FPÖ became the ruling party. The FPÖ was ostensibly because of its xenophobic campaign of public criticism. The formation of a government between the ÖVP and FPÖ sparked strong internal and external political protests from, among others, attracted so Israel recalled its ambassador from Vienna from the complete EU states limited contact with the Austrian government to the essentials.
The art project
The concept of action oriented strongly to the TV show Big Brother. As a candidate acted asylum seekers who, similar to the model of "Big Brother", by daily public polls from the container - were voted out - but in Schlingensief's installation also out of the country. The votes and the camera broadcasts from the container were carried out on the website established for this purpose " www.auslaenderraus.at ". On the first day registered the site about 70,000 hits, the crowd led to multiple server failures.
Furthermore, were ( " the abuse of asylum Stop" for example ), a Freedom Party flag on the roof and a banner with the inscription " Foreigners out " installed on the container xenophobic campaign posters of the FPÖ. A banner with the SS motto " Our honor is called loyalty " was attached, which led to a lawsuit by the Freedom Party. Schlingensief threw subsequent to the issue of whether the FPÖ complains against itself, as Ernest Windholz, FP- chairman of Lower Austria, this saying was used by itself.
Every day was different personalities from the cultural life in the container as guests, who spent a day with the container inhabitants, such as Daniel Cohn- Bendit, Elfriede Jelinek, Gregor Gysi, Josef Bichler beer or Paulus Manker.
In addition, the former FPÖ chairman Jörg Haider was quoted by Schlingensief around the clock racist speeches.
The film
The film documents the one hand, the art action and the reactions of the public, on the other hand, positions of different personalities are shown. These range from philosophers Burghart Schmidt and friends Schlingensief to representatives of various political parties.
Awards
- WorldFest Houston International Film Festival: Winner Special Jury Golden Award 2003
- Images Festival Toronto: Best International Film made on Video
- Rotterdam International Film Festival: Official Selection 2003
- Festival Internacional de Cine de Mar del Plata: Official Competition A 2003