“The [‘In Reference’] section embodies a curatorial freedom within the program that is lacking at many comparable events in its consequence. A very welcome enrichment, then! And a call to search for connecting lines within a sharpened view, not to look at cinema in a vacuum, but to question its roots and obligations time and again.”
desistfilm.com (PE) / Dennis Vetter
“It’s impossible to leave Diagonale and not think Austrian cinema punches far above its weight. The amount of talent in front of and behind the camera is staggering (as is the amount of investment from governmental bodies might I add), and visually, it’s a consistently sumptuous weekend.”
thequietus.com (UK) / Tristan Bath
“The Diagonale, Festival of Austrian Films, has been held in Graz since 1998. At a “domestic” event such as this, all those burdens embedded within any worthwhile artistic endeavor are sharpened: to position oneself within a vertical (historical) and horizontal (social) landscape, to respect and respond to a rich cultural lineage, to contribute to an unfolding discourse.”
MUBI (UK) / Michael Pattison
“The entire city of Graz was lit up by film: so much seemed refreshingly new, not only formally, but also in terms of content. […] It leaves us speechless: how unique, independent, political, daring, and diverse Austrian film has meanwhile become. And how adept the offering is of historical contexts, socio-political approaches, and highly relevant positions. Debut: successful.”
Kleine Zeitung (AT) / Julia Schafferhofer
“The setting seems to be extremely fruitful for productive discussions. Conversations about the state of the film art or about the state of the film industry are effortlessly started and single films are thoroughly discussed as well.”
ScreenAnarchy (US) / Ioana Florescu
“Everyone who comes loves it – not least for the perfect balance between novelties, networking opportunities, partying and a thorough concern for film history. The Diagonale has opened up and energetically developed into an international event with yet a highly reflexive potential.”
Senses of Cinema (AU) / Barbara Wurm
“The Festival’s overall impression, from the talks to the new graphics, to the special programs and the parties corresponded with what the two directors had hoped for from the start: to offer an exciting approach to Austrian film. That is a great achievement.”
ORF.at (AT) / Simon Hadler
“[…] Adventurous, complex, and politically wide-awake […]”
profil (AT) / Stefan Grissemann
“The entanglements that are noticeable in many places are interesting. A good program is not one that simply hopes to direct attention to single works; but rather, one in which resonances [between the works] emerge.”
FAQ (AT) / Bert Rebhandl
“The new festival directors’ concept, which builds from gentle congruities is a very smart idea, because it most likely represents what the future will be for all film festivals.”
Deutschlandradio (DE) / Patrick Wellinski
“In the end, this groundwork carried out by festivals such as the Diagonale for decades is what will decide whether the cinema can survive as the primary site for film mediation in the long term.”
Die Furche (AT) / Matthias Greuling