Innsbruck’s film scene takes off: Premiere of “To the stars and back”

As the day draws to a close and the peaks glow in the evening light, a different time begins - one in which thoughts are allowed to wander and the gaze turns to the stars. Between the twinkling stars, there is plenty of time for big dreams at night. One of these sparkling stories is told by the Innsbruck filmmaker Martin Venier in his new short film "To the stars and back" which premieres at the Leokino on June 11: About a girl with a big dream - space.

A Tyrolean girl who wants to become an astronaut? Yes, exactly that. And right here. Between mountain peaks, school breaks and starry skies, a film unfolds that not only impresses visually, but also resonates emotionally. It is a work about imagination, determination - and the courage to believe in yourself.

At the center of his new short film is a girl from Tyrol who wants to aim high. While other children look down on the path while hiking, she lifts her head to the sky. Her toy rocket is always with her - both a symbol and a promise. Only her grandfather recognizes the depth of this dream early on. He encourages her and carries her - sometimes literally - all the way to the top. Up under the stars, where they camp and dream together.

The path to becoming an astronaut is not an easy one. The film also shows the doubts, the loneliness, the struggle with oneself. But in the end, the message remains clear: dreams are not naive. They are necessary.

What makes the film so special is the combination of handmade magic and modern technology. The rocket? Self-built. The weightlessness? Without studio tricks, but staged with a lot of creativity and artificial intelligence. The result is a look that invites you to marvel - and touches you at the same time.

The fact that such films are made in Innsbruck is no longer a coincidence. In recent years, the city has developed into a stage for young, experimental filmmakers. Between student projects, professional productions and advertising campaigns, films are being made in and around Innsbruck that are not only technically convincing, but also tell real stories.

One name that stands out in this scene is certainly Martin Venier. Born in Tyrol, he has made a name for himself with numerous creative projects - most recently with the current summer campaign for Innsbruck Tourism. His signature: visually strong, atmospherically dense, emotionally sensitive.

Martin, your new short film tells the story of a girl who wants to become an astronaut - how did the idea for it come about and what inspired you in particular?

The idea actually came about when I was tidying up, a song came on the radio about
home. The performer sang (I like the feeling of having a home more and more). I thought to myself, wow, I actually quite like that feeling too. That would be a cool idea for a short story. But how far away from home can you go to create this conflict between adventure and home? Then the idea of outer space was born.

You built a rocket wall and made your actress seemingly weightless - how did you approach these unusual technical challenges?

Of course I couldn't do it alone, we planned and built it as a team. First we folded small paper models to see which proportions (human to rocket) would fit best. Once that was clear, we looked for premises where we could build it, we needed a room height of at least 6 meters! Luckily we were allowed to set it up in a rehearsal room in the Landestheater, but we only had 4 days to set up, shoot and dismantle, which was quite a challenge. The walls were extremely light and couldn't support anything, so it was also important that the astronaut didn't touch the walls. We then hung the astronaut on a hook from the ceiling and an industrial climber secured her with pulleys and pulled her up or let her come down "weightlessly".

What role does Innsbruck play in the story - as a place, as a backdrop, perhaps even as a
protagonist?

Innsbruck takes on the role of home here, or rather part of the home, as a home is also very much connected to the family. But maybe you know the feeling when you are on vacation for a longer period of time and on the return trip or flight it feels so special as soon as you see the city of Innsbruck and the Nordkette again, all the beautiful "home feelings" come up at the same time. You look forward to going back to your apartment, maybe meeting up with friends or family again in the evening and I think Innsbruck plays this role of "home" extremely well!

The film tells of big dreams, but also of self-doubt - what message do you want to give young people, especially girls and young women?

Yes, of course, it's very much about the message of believing in yourself. I think that we all have to deal with doubts from time to time and when we take a particularly difficult path. Of course, it's even more so as soon as you go down this path alone, without friends or family, then it's even more important to continue to believe that this is the right path.

For young women, there are of course many more reasons to doubt, especially in times when a lot of political decisions are being made in a direction that sets back an already extremely slow and protracted process towards equality by years. But here, too, you shouldn't stop believing that things will continue and get better. Without this belief, you've already lost.

What possibilities of artificial intelligence do you find really exciting for your job as a filmmaker - and where do you think it's better to be cautious?

I think you should be careful everywhere, AI is taking over so many parts in so many industries at lightning speed and of course in the film business too. I think everything that's happening is exciting, it can be very helpful, especially for filmmakers with limited resources like us.

In the future, it will be very important for us to have good ideas ourselves, to know how to implement them and then possibly be able to realize them more cheaply and quickly with the help of AI.

As part of the premiere, Innsbruck's film scene will also take center stage: an accompanying discussion will explore how new technologies such as artificial intelligence are changing storytelling - for example through smart script development or interactive elements via QR code. What remains: The passion for storytelling. And the longing that sometimes even drives you into space.

A little tip for anyone who can't attend the premiere and discussion: the film will also be available online after the premiere.

Yes, please! Whether socially critical, playful or visually experimental - short film is thought big in Innsbruck. We have put together a YouTube playlist for you with other projects from the region that are worth seeing.

The big premiere of „Zu den Sternen und zurück“ will take place on June 11 at Leokino Innsbruck - including a film talk, behind-the-scenes insights and creative extras such as storyboards and original set pictures in the lobby.

Competition

Would you like to attend the movie premiere? Then take part in the competition and win tickets for you and your companion!