Fritz Lehner: An inconvenient in the film industry

Fritz Lehner wrote domestic television history with films such as the Schubert three-part series “Mit meinehot Tears”. For two decades he has concentrated on writing novels and has also won awards as a crime author. The native of Freistadt turned 75 yesterday.

Lehner studied at the Vienna Film Academy and then began filming literary works by authors such as Gerhard Roth and Ludwig Innerhofer for ORF. His 1976 portrait “Freistadt” caused controversy, which some regarded as “dirtying one’s nest”. 40 years later he received the Freistadt Prize of Appreciation at the “Der Neue Heimatfilm” festival. “The Village on the Border” (1979-83), a three-part series about the history of southern Carinthia written by Thomas Pluch, defamed Jörg Haider as “the worst kind of botch”.

Fiasco about “Everyman’s Festival”

The highlight of his work was the 1986 three-part series “With my hot tears”. The film caused a stir – among other things because it was exceptionally photographed and because it did not focus on the musician, but on the unfortunate person suffering from syphilis.

“Jedermanns Fest”, Lehner’s 13th film, was his undoing. In it he transferred the Everyman stuff into the fashion industry of the present, but the film got out of hand and became the most expensive Austrian film of the post-war period at the time. The project, which the stars Klaus Maria Brandauer and Juliette Greco were supposed to make a hit with the public, lay half-finished on hold for years. After a bitter legal battle, he was able to complete the film himself in 2000. There were cool reviews for the result – but also the Grand Diagonale Prize 2002.

After that, Lehner switched to being an author and wrote crime novels, among other things. His twelfth book “Ronny Rock” was published in November. “Nitro” was awarded the Leo Perutz Prize in 2017. Lehner didn’t celebrate his birthday – the restlessness while writing is enough for him: “For me, I wish that things continue as restlessly as they are now for as long as possible.”