Second Thoughts – First

German title: Mein Wenn und Aber
2021, 93 minutes – part III

VOD

ABOUT THE FILM

To realise your dream, you need to know what you want.

Work and Love – how do they go together? And on top of that, having a child? In SECOND THOUGHTS FIRST, Marko Doringer uses humour and curiosity to explore the daily struggle for success, love and happiness.

Following HALF THE TIME OF MY LIFE and GLOBALLY YOURS, SECOND THOUGHTS – FIRST is the third part of a tetralogy in which Marko Doringer examines the realities of a generation in times of uncertainty. Ironic and analytical at the same time, this film is a feature documentary, a long-term research project turning at times into couples’ therapy – with wit and courage leading to astonishing self-realization.

 

FILM STILLS

FILM CONTENT

  • It’s now or never for a child, says Marlene, the partner of filmmaker Marko Doringer. This remark triggers many emotions in Marko, none of them positive. His job is anything but secure. He can’t even think about decent retirement. And on top of that, having a child? When, out of the blue, a protagonist calls to tell him she will drop out of his current project, Marko is on the verge of giving it all up. But who would he be without his profession? For despite his love-hate relationship with his work, it is and remains his identity. Is it even possible to have both – fulfilling work and a happy relationship?

    Marko visits friends, colleagues and his parents to find out how they deal with the fragile fabric of partnership, family and work. His generation is torn apart: On the one hand, they love their work. On the other hand, they fear not being able to do justice to their partners or children. Above all, they desperately want to avoid repeating the failings of their parents. Is there a magic formula for having a successful and happy life?

    Wolfram wants to build a career and at the same time starts a long-distance relationship with Eva. Does he have to choose between work and love? Shaheen works on projects all over the world, while Rukhsana stays in Germany, sorely missing him. Can things work out between them when their relationship always comes second? Catalina and Paul have a daughter, with a second child on the way. Will they be able to balance work and family? Meanwhile, Marko’s parents are enjoying their comfortable pension. Apparently they have done everything right in their lives.

    With empathy, persistence and humour, filmmaker Marko Doringer takes a close look at the emotional life of a generation struggling to find its way. Following (HALF) THE TIME OF MY LIFE and GLOBALLY YOURS, this is the third instalment of Doringer’s Austrian cult series: SECOND THOUGHTS –FIRST is a bitter-sweet film about the challenges of balancing work and love.

FURTHER INFORMATION

  • POSTER

  • FACTS

    GERMAN TITLE:
    Mein Wenn und Aber

    COMPLETION:
    January 2021

    WORD PREMIERE:
    May 07, 2022 | DOK.fest | Music (Germany)

    LENGTH:
    93 minutes

    ORIGINAL LANGUAGE:
    German, English, Bengali

    VERSIONS:
    OmU Deutsch, OwS English

    DISTRIBUTOR:
    Austria: polyfilm

  • CREDITS

    with
    Catalina M. & Paul-Julien R.
    Rukhsana & Shaheen D.-R.
    Wolfram H. & Eva L.
    Etty & Heinz D.
    Marlene N., Marko D. & Elsa

    writer, director & camera: Marko Doringer
    assistant director: Stefan Pircher Verdorfer
    script consultant: Andres Veiel
    second camera: Joerg Burger
    sound: Tong Zhang a.o.
    editing: Daniel Flax, Marko Doringer

    music: Elsa Tootsie & the Mini Band,
              Les Hommes Sauvages
    sound design: Veronika Hlawatsch
    score mix: Nico Berthold
    studio for score mix: Victoria Studios
    re-recording mix: Bernhard Maisch
    studio re-recording mix: Tremens

    color grading: Klaus Pamminger
    title design: Mieke Ulfig
    social media: Mirela Jasic
    website: Gerhard Roider | roider.at

    commissioning editor: Susanne Spellitz | ORF
    producer: Marko Doringer | Filmfabrik

  • REVIEWS

    “Strikes the chord of a generation.”
    CHRISTIAN SCHACHINGER/ DER STANDARD

    “Deals with the big and little questions of life that could not be more universal!”
    ALINA SCHALLER/ FM4 MORNING SHOW

    “An unsparing look at the reality between self-realization and obligations.”
    MADELEINE GEOSITS/ ZIB/ ORF

    “Surprisingly intimate and refreshingly entertaining.”
    ALEXANDRA SEIBEL/ KURIER

    “Simply riveting!”
    MARGRET KÖHLER/ AZ MÜNCHEN

    “With wit, wistfulness and touching openness.”
    JULIA BASCHIERA/ Ö1 MORGENJOURNAL

    “Unaffected, pure, spontaneous and so close.”
    CHRISTINA SONNTAG/ SALZBURG HEUTE/ ORF

    “Highly recommended!”
    SABINA ZEITHAMMER/ FALTER

    • “Questions posed by life.”
      TIROLER TAGESZEITUNG

      “A film about the big questions: parenthood, work and happiness.”
      HERBERT SCHORN/ OÖN

      “A declaration of love!”
      VIENNA.AT

      “With typical Austrian wit.”
      KATJA KRAFT/ MÜNCHNER MERKUR

      “A generation of men on the therapeutic couch.”
      JULIA SCHAFFERHOFER/ KLEINE ZEITUNG

      “Do it better – the disarming moral of this film.”
      MAGDALENA MIEDL/ SALZBURGER NACHRICHTEN

      “A film from a man’s point of view that attempts to understand women, listen to them and empathize with them.”
      MATTHIAS GREULING/ WIENER ZEITUNG

      “A struggle for a new masculinity involving turning away from fathers, a masculinity that comes across as more humane and gentler (…).”
      SUSANNE JÄGER/ RAY Filmmagazin

      “A film making us participate in life’s changes and challenges.”
      MARLENE NOWOTNY/ PUNKT EINS/ Ö1

      “Work, love and other minor things: (a film) about growing old and the meaning of life.”
      GERHARD SUMMER/ SÜDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG

      “Recommended! Radically subjective, tragicomical and occasionally with painful openness.”
      SABINA ZEITHAMMER/ FALTER

      “A film between uninhibited self-doubt and a brilliantly focussed look at his generation.”
      REINHARD KRIECHBAUM/ DREHPUNKT KULTUR

      “The eagerly awaited third part of Marko Doringer’s film diary, which also takes a closer look at the big questions and the emotional make-up of an entire generation.”
      FLORIAN WIDEGGER/ FILMARCHIV

  • FEEDBACK

    “A highly entertaining film!!”
    THOMAS

    “Outstanding! A stroke of genius.”
    CINEMA HALL REACTIONS

    “Better than Woody Allen!”
    ANJA

    “Thanks so much for this moving and great film that at many points stirred me to reflect – while always remaining entertaining.”
    KAY

    “I enjoyed myself from the first to last minute. I think you have a remarkable way of arriving at a deep level of dialogue with your protagonists (…), and in a humorous way.”
    DANIEL

    “SECOND THOUGHTS – FIRST is tops!”
    ANNA

    “Authentic, relatable – and despite partly difficult situations always with a positive vibe.”
    ANGELIKA

  • FESTIVALS

    DOK.fest´22
    Germany

    Kino wie noch nie ´22
    Austria

    Fuenf Seen Film Festival ´22
    Germany

    Stranger Than Fiction ´23
    Germany

    Nonfiktionale ´23
    Germany

VOD & DVD

Video on DemandVXH

DVDHoanzl

FEATURED MUSIC

Elsa Tootsie and The Mini Band
.            by Daniel Schatz, Artur Nutz
.            & Michael Prehofer
Les Hommes Sauvages
.           by Kristof Hahn (Swans)
Sultans of Gedankenbrain
          by Kristof Hahn (Swans)

AUDIENCE TESTIMONIALS

“Thank you for this moving, outstanding film!”
KAY

“A really beautiful and enjoyable film!”
LUCIA

“We liked it a lot, what a terrific film!”
DIANA

“Outstanding! A stroke of genius.”
COMMENT / IN THEATRE

PRESS & REVIEWS

“Simply riveting!”
AZ MÜNCHEN

“Highly recommended! This film is radically subjective, tragicomic, and sometimes almost painfully honest.”
FALTER

“The eagerly awaited third part of Marko Doringer’s film diary, which also takes a closer look at the big questions and the emotional make-up of an entire generation.”
FILMARCHIV AUSTRIA

“With typical Austrian humour.”
MÜNCHNER MERKUR

PROJECT PARTNERS

funded by

Austrian Film Institute
FISA – Film Industry Support Austria
Government of Lower Austria
Government of Salzburg

in cooperation with

ORF Film/Fernseh-Abkommen

project development also supported by

Filmfonds Vienna

THEATRICAL RELEASE SUPPORTED BY

Austrian Film Institute

PRODUCED BY

Filmfabrik Marko Doringer film production
© Austria 2021

PAST DATES

COMPLETION

January 2021

WORLD PREMIERE

May 07, 2022 | DOK.fest | Munich (Germany)

DOK.FEST

May 07 & 13, 2022 | Munic (Germany)

KINO WIE NOCH NIE

July 15 & 16, 2022 | Augarten Open Air | Vienna (Austria)

FUENF SEEN FILMFESTIVAL

September 03 & 04, 2022 | Starnberg (Germany)

IDFA docs for sale

November 11 to 16, 2022 | Amsterdam (The Netherlands)

Theatrical Release

December 30, 2022 | polyfilm | Austria

STRANGER THAN FICTION

February 02, 2023 | Cologne (Germany)

NONFIKTIONALE

March17, 2023 | Bad Aibling (Germany)

FUNDING AGENCIES & PROJECT PARTNERS