ABOUT US
Who we are
Barbara Windtner (Chairwoman)
Barbara Windtner is a screenwriter, director, editor and producer of independent and commissioned documentary and image films as well as children's musicals. She lives and works - also as a dance teacher - in Vienna. Her first feature-length documentary film "Auf der Suche nach Isolde" (In Search of Isolde), shot in Austria, Slovenia, Germany and Argentina, opened the Crossing Europe International Film Festival 2015 and she received the Upper Austrian Talent Promotion Award for it. The musical "Karla Chamäelon" received an award from the "Culture connected" initiative of the OeAD - Austrian Exchange Service. Barbara Windtner is currently writing her second feature-length documentary film "Jetzt oder Nie" (Now or Never), directing the children's musical "Der magische Schatz" (The Magic Treasure) at the GTVS Europaschule in Vienna and working on an artistic collaboration with a public school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Paul Schwind (Chairman)
Paul Schwind was born in 1981 and is a freelance film director and screenwriter. He made his first film on his uncle's video camera when he was 7. He is driven by his passion to move audiences with stories that raise current social and moral issues. For him, cinema is the art form that best represents the human existence in all its facets. In 2009, Paul studied film directing at the University of California in Los Angeles as a Fulbright Fellow. In addition to his studies, Paul also taught film directing, editing, production and acting at UCLA and graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in 2013. Paul is a two-time winner of the Motion Picture Association of America Award for Excellence in Filmmaking, as well as the Jack Nicholson Distinguished Student Director Award. His thesis film "Au Pair" (written and directed) won the grand prize "Best of Show Award" at Indie Fest San Diego. As a commercial film director, Paul has worked with XXXLutz, Lufthansa, H&M, Doctors Without Borders, PWC, Erste Bank and many others.
Viktor Perdula (Treasurer)
After training as a communications engineer and working as a technical project manager, Viktor Perdula founded JewelLabs (film production and IT services) in 2002. He is an experienced and passionate producer and production manager in the areas of film, TV and internet media. The mixture of technical and creative know-how has also contributed to the success of other production companies, e.g. in projects such as "Die BESTE ALLER WELTEN" (The Best of All Worlds), and with his company JewelLabs Pictures he has already produced a large number of short films that have been honoured with various awards worldwide. The visually extraordinary film "LACRIMOSA" is on the shortlist for the OSCAR 2019. Since 2019, Viktor has also been working as a creative producer and co-author in the development of feature films and documentaries, as well as a trainer for Safer Internet and lecturer at the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences.
Alexander Bruckner (Secretary)
Alexander discovered his passion for film when he shot his first film, a western, in Lower Austria. In 2007 Alexander graduated from a one-year directing programme at the New York Film Academy. He then worked as a freelance cameraman, assistant director and producer in the United States until 2010. During this time, he produced the feature film "Addicts" (2009), directed by Ali Reza. In 2010, Alexander returned to Austria and completed a Master's degree in TV & Film Production at the Danube University Krems. In the same year, "Udet - die vergessenen Briefe" (Udet - The Forgotten Letters) won the Kino5 Audience Award in Vienna. The following year, the film was shown at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2014, Alexander founded a film production company called "Live Free, Live Film Productions". Since 2020, he has hosted the annual Vienna International Film Awards.
Other members of the board:
Thomas Rigler, Iris Kaizik-Kratzmüller, Arne Nostritz-Rieneck
We represent the interests of:
- Directors in film, television and video
- Directors in production companies / commissioned productions
- Directors in feature films, short films and documentaries
- Directors in commercials
- Directors in the independent, artistic and avant-garde area
- Directors/creators/VJs in new media
Primary goals of the association:
- Improvement of contracts and production terms for directors in Austria
- Monitor and influence the development of protections under copyright laws throughout Europe
- Collaboration in political decisions affecting the film and television industry (promotion of the industry, et al.)
Activities of the association:
- Regular communications
- Regular events on exchanges and continuing education
- Forwarding and exchanging of information with foreign directors’ guilds
- Political lobbying in film and culture
- Close collaboration with foreign and domestic film federations
ADA memberships:
- Austrian Filmmakers Association
- FERA, Fédération européenne des Réalisateurs de l'Audiovisuel
Becoming a member:
