Vienna Easter 1973

England or Holland are the only options available to Renate Mumelter when she unintentionally becomes pregnant in 1973. She is still a high school student, having a kid isn't part of her plan – but abortion is prohibited in Italy. London it is. She travels halfway across Europe to gain access to the procedure, together with the “culprit,” as she jokingly refers to her boyfriend back then. She summarizes in the voice-over, “The clinic was super, the treatment was super." But something very different is presented onscreen: shots of Vienna showing parked cars, side streets, rows of housing. Initially these low-key scenes seem entirely unrelated to Renate’s experience – but it turns out there is a direct connection. Back in 1973, instead of telling her parents the truth, she told them she was going on vacation to Vienna. The cityscapes onscreen paint a picture of what the trip to Vienna could have looked like. As the film pursues her alibi, it evokes images of abortion, and the necessary stigma management often connected with abortion experiences (What do I tell whom? What do I keep to myself?).  At the same time, form is lent to the everyday nature of abortion. No sensationalism, no suspense, no main attractions —just a steady, almost boring big city bustle, far afield from sunstruck tourist traps.  

In Vienna Easter 1973, abortion is not approached through conflict – as is so often the case – but instead through calm, everyday life, and trust. The measured narrative of the film unfolds an alternative perspective on its subject, prompting viewers to question their own expectations. At the same time, the film leaves space for critical commentary when Renate speaks to the political situation back then and today. At the very end she confides a further abortion secret to her son – the filmmaker – but again without sensationalism, and consistent with the overall tone of the film, as expressed by a relaxed woman at peace with herself. (Franzis Kabisch)  

Translation: Eve Heller