Followed by a Q&A with director Michael Kofler.About this Event
Paul, a talented artist, hopes to escape his rural upbringing in the Northern Italian region of South Tyrol, whose German-speaking population has found itself torn between Austria and Italy over the course of both world wars. Ethnic tensions and police repression reach a turning point when a separatist organization—which counts Paul's hard-headed brother Anton among their ranks—begins a series of bombings on Italian industrial facilities. When Anton becomes the prime suspect in an attack and flees as a wanted terrorist, Paul decides to put off his plans to help Anton's wife, Anna, and both begin to question the culture of violence that has absorbed their community.
Framed by the complicated relationship between two brothers and the loved ones they hope to protect, A Land Within explores the dynamics of masculinity, populism, and radicalization at play in a pivotal moment in South Tyrolean history.
"A Land Within fully captures the essence of a historical period that few people know up close... With his first feature film, Michael Kofler has shown great talent and sensitivity in staging a delicate and extremely complex story." —Marina Pavido, Cinema Austriaco, 11/13/2025.
A Land Within world premiered at the 2025 Munich Film Festival. It was an official selection of the Palm Springs International Film Festival, the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival, and Berlin & Beyond. For his role as Anton, Laurence Rupp was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the 2026 Austrian Film Awards.
Visit www.germanfilmoffice.us for more information.
Event venue
Goethe-Institut New York, 30 Irving Place, New York, United States
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