Bürglkopf

synopsis

The film captures the ambivalent nature of the Tyrolean landscape around the Bürglkopf mountain. The idyll of Alpine nature, grazing cattle, babbling brooks, and breathtaking panoramas is disrupted by the knowledge that there is a refugee centre at the top of the mountain. Unauthorized entry is prohibited, contact with people inside is undesirable, and cameras are completely denied access behind the walls. The strict regime that asylum seekers must adhere to guarantees them only one thing: a minimal chance of remaining in the safety of Austria. Despite the restrictions, however, the director finds a way to conduct interviews with the centre’s residents outside the premises, against the backdrop of deep forests in the foothills. Their authentic testimonies reveal not only their personal experiences and reasons for fleeing, but also the reality of everyday life in the facility itself. The complex picture is complemented by the testimonies of those who have passed through the centre and settled in Austria, as well as critical voices from locals expressing strong empathy. It turns out that even in the face of an inhumane bureaucratic apparatus, people can retain their dignity and hope.

“You broke my heart when you said that the cow has a better life than us.”

biography

Lisa Polster (b. 1996) is a screenwriter and director from Vienna. She studied screenwriting and dramaturgy at the Konrad Wolf Film University of Babelsberg, and worked as a social worker for several years. Her short films have been screened at international festivals. In 2025, she won the main prize at Diagonale, for her documentary, Bürglkopf.

film details

director:	Lisa Polster
producer:	Lisa Polster, Konrad Schlaich, Lena Zechner

contact

Isabella Reicher/sixpackfilm
office@sixpackfilm.com