Image: Martin Stoebich
“I am the prince of Linz”, he shouts in the city’s new tourism video, standing on the Danube ship – and his accent gives him away. Leading actor Matthew Kaufman is not from Linz, not from Upper Austria, not from Briton living here, but a genuine Englishman. He got to know and appreciate Linz during the days of filming. His verdict: “Like Sheffield, Linz is a city of steel, a city of the burgeoning independent art scene and a city of regeneration. Only it has a nicer botanical garden with a nicer view of the city.”
Kaufman was discovered because the makers of the third advertising video, with which those responsible for the city tourism association wanted to go a little different again (the OÖN reported), because they were looking for a main actor who is strong in facial expressions. Filmmaker Sinisa Vidovic knew him from various campaigns, people got into conversation and, as they say, could afford him.
“I really had no idea what I was getting myself into”says Kaufman, but quickly fell in love with the role and the city.
He asked a longtime friend in Linz for recommendations on what to see in the city. “Most of their tips were then the places where we filmed.” His girlfriend Lucy was enthusiastic about the city, because where is that, “that you will be crowned Prince of Linz 24 hours after your arrival”. Incidentally, British humor is also said to have been the deciding factor in Kaufman’s choice.
Source: Nachrichten
