Vorwärts

In the election of October 9, 1994, the SPÖ lost a fifth of its votes in Vienna’s Leopoldstadt district. On election night at the Section 22 office, figures are manually entered into lists; these record 13 resignations and five deaths over the preceding four months. A list of female members is used to order carnations for Mother’s Day. At just under 40 years of age, the new district chairwoman, Brigitte Ederer, represents their only hope. The film follows the party members in the months leading up to the election—to meetings, door-to-door visits, dance events, and promotional appearances where they are met with echoes of FPÖ propaganda. While the camera generally acts as a mere observer, during a campaign visit to the fire station, the director prompts commentary through off-screen questions. Today, the film stands as a historical document of the labor movement—and not just in Austria.