New Talent
Feature Film

Once Were Rebels

ONCE WERE REBELS depicts two urban, liberal couples in their 30s who decide to help a Russian friend escapeto Austria. Pavel, a dissident, is in very real difficulties. Though initially thrilled by this adventure, the Austrians soonfind the very foundations of their friendships and relationships are threatened – mainly because this kind of help can beunderstood in different ways, but also because the man they rescue refuses to behave as the helpers feel he should.

Data

aka: Russenstory
Category: Feature Film, New Talent
Financing: Nationaler Film
Format: DCP, 100 Min
Release: 28.08.2020
Distribution: FILMLADEN Filmverleih GmbH
Admissions: 12.878
Funding Film Institute: 821.927 €
Share of total production costs: 35 %
Television investment: 440.000 €
VoD Release: 21.12.2020
DVD Release: 28.02.2021
Funding program: ÖFI
first run on ORF1 Austrian Broadcasting Service: 02.07.2022
Viewers: 67.000
Film location: Vienna, Lower Austria, Moscow
Shooting time: January - February 2019
Days of shooting: 32
Completion: 20201002
Funding institutions Austria: Filminstitut, Filmfonds Wien, Filmstandort Austria, Land Niederösterreich

Credits

Production: FreibeuterFilm GmbH, Wega-Filmproduktionsgesellschaft m.b.H.
Producer: Oliver Neumann, Sabine Moser
Director: Johanna Moder
Script: Johanna Moder, in Zusammenarbeit mit: Marcel Mohab, Manuel Rubey
DOP: Robert Oberrainer
Editor: Karin Hammer
Sound engineer: Claus Benischke-Lang
Sound design: Claus Benischke-Lang, Nils Kirchhoff, Manuel Meichsner
Costume design: Veronika Albert
Set design: Martin Reiter, Johanna Hierzegger
Cast: Julia Jentsch (Helene), Manuel Rubey (Jakob), Marcel Mohab (Volker), Aenne Schwarz (Tina), Lena Tronina (Eugenia), Tambet Tuisk (Pavel)
Production manager: Lena Krins
German Title: Waren einmal Revoluzzer
Television investment: ORF (Film/Fernseh-Abkommen)