The Way of a Warrior

Andreas Pichler

Cinema-Dokumentary

"The belief in revolution, which is identical to the belief in the kingdom, or better still: the belief in God’s Kingdom, is the only real path."
- Ernesto Cardenal

In 1982 Michael N., a twenty-year old novice from South Tyrol leaves Europe to become a missionary in Bolivia and dedicate his life to help the poorest of the poor. Shocked by the conditions he finds there and fascinated by the theology of liberation preached by the Jesuits - who are striving for social change in South America - he joins the Jesuit religious order. The ardent catholic stays eight years in Bolivia. He leaves the novitiate and together with other students founds the revolutionary Guerilla-group Frente Liberacion National. As head of a suicide guerilla commando, he kidnaps the CEO of Bolivia's Coca-Cola company in 1990. The kidnapping drags on for several months until finally Michael is shot dead in a hail of bullets by Bolivian special units. Against the backdrop of the disturbing activities of today’s holy warriors, who are mainly Muslim and conduct their suicide attacks to become martyrs in a fight for theocracy, the film tells the story of the Christian holy warrior Michael.

Awards

Prix spécial du jury - Annecy Festival Cinéma Italien

Premio Anteprima Doc

Premio UCCA - Bellaria Film Festival

Publikumspreis - Bozen Film Festival Bolzano

Credits

Director and Author: Andreas Pichler

Director of Photography: Susanne Schüle
Editor: Marzia Mete, Andreas Zitzmann
Sound: Stefano Bernardi
Music: Paul Lemp
Research: Martin Kucera
Producer: Thomas Tielsch
Co-Producer: Samir, Valerio B. Moser
Line Producer: Britta Erich
Editorial Staff: Burkhard Althoff, Kathrin Brinkmann
Co-Producer: Filmtank Hamburg(D), Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion (CH), ZDF Kleines Fernsehspiel

World Sales: Heino Deckert Verleih;
Kinoverleih Schweiz: Dokufactory Zürich; Kinoverleih Italien: UCCA
Kinoverleih Bolivien: Londra Films

2008 86/52 min

Festivals:

Max Ophüls Preis (D)

Doclisboa (P)

Docs-Barcelona (E)

Mostra Int. de cinema San Paolo (BR)

Solothurner Filmtage (CH)

Al Jaziera Film Festival (QT)

Bellaria Film Festival (I)

Annecy Festival Cinéma Italien (F)

Kassel Dokfilmfestival (D)

Innsbrucker Film Festival (A)

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