26/P3: Vom Wert der Almen

FOR THE ROUGH AND THE EXCESSIVE
Germany 2026, Julius Oppermann, 7 min, German

THE LAST ALPINE PASTURE
Austria 2026, Nico Forchthammer, 35 min, German

SCENERY OR LIVING SPACE? THE FUTURE OF THE ALPINE CULTURAL LANDSCAPE
Austria 2026, Lisa Gotschke, 70 min, German

Three films by emerging filmmakers explore what alpine pastures mean beyond their picture-postcard appeal. They are places to live and work, shape our cultural landscape and support biodiversity. Grazing keeps the land open and helps protect it from erosion and avalanches. At the same time, alpine pastures are places of recreation and inspiration, and an important part of regional identity.

In FOR THE ROUGH AND THE EXCESSIVE, filmmaker Julius Oppermann follows shepherd Kurt Moosbrugger through his daily life in complete isolation. Amid steep slopes, goats and sudden changes in the weather, a quiet portrait emerges of a man who has found his place in the world.

In THE LAST ALPINE PASTURE, Nico Forchthammer takes us to the Großarl Valley, where he tells the stories of five alpine pastures and the people who run them. Forchthammer is no stranger to the festival. Using his Skyver, an off-road pedal-free bike that allows him to go mountaineering despite a mobility impairment, he has already crossed the Alps and climbed a 6,000-metre peak. In his new film, he explores what the alpine pastures of the Großarl Valley mean to his own life.

In SCENERY OR LIVING SPACE?, Lisa Gotschke looks to the future. The alpine cultural landscape exists because generations of people have managed alpine pastures, maintained mountain huts and cared for trails. But climate change, increasing regulations and a shortage of workers are putting this system under pressure. The film follows mountain hut keepers, alpine farmers and local associations in the Salzburg region as they search for new ways forward. What should the alpine cultural landscape of the future look like, and who will take responsibility for it?