Murer: Anatomy of a Trial

Drama/History, Luxembourg/Austria 2018

Murer – Anatomy of a Trial meticulously reconstructs the 1963 legal proceedings held in Graz against Franz Murer, an affluent Austrian farmer. Murer faced charges related to his role in overseeing the Vilnius ghetto from 1941 to 1943, where he earned the infamous moniker "Butcher of Vilnius." During this period, only 600 survivors emerged from the original population of 80,000 Jews, testifying against Murer and leaving little room for doubt regarding his culpability. The trial drew survivors from across the globe, shedding light on one of the darkest chapters of Nazi rule. The overwhelming evidence presented during the proceedings marked the trial as one of Austria's most significant scandals in the Second Republic, exposing shortcomings within the justice system, press, and governmental policies. Set against the backdrop of a rising tide of nationalism and a diminishing reluctance to confront ideologies assumed to be vanquished, the Murer case remains disturbingly relevant. The film compellingly illustrates the struggle of truth and justice against the backdrop of political power, highlighting the diminishing influence of these ideals in the face of competing interests. In an era where historical lessons are at risk of being overshadowed, Murer – Anatomy of a Trial serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring consequences when the pursuit of justice collides with political machinations.
137 min
HD
Starting at 12
Audio language:
German
Subtitles:
EnglishFrenchHungarian

Awards

Cinepolitica International Film Festival 2019 Best Political Film
Austrian Film Award 2019 Best Feature Film Best Supporting Actress for Inge Maux
Diagonale, Austria, 2018 Grand Prize for Best Feature Film

Further recommendations

More information

Composer:

Anselme Pau

Sound Design:

Angelo Dos Santos

Editor:

Karin Hammer

Cast:

Karl Fischer (Franz Murer)

Alexander E. Fennon (Attorney Böck)

Melita Jurišić (Rosa Segev)

Ursula Ofner (Elisabeth Murer)

Karl Markovics (Simon Wiesenthal)

Gerhard Liebmann (Julius Kloiber)

Roland Jaeger (Prosecutor Schuhmann)

Rainer Wöss (Karl Nowak)

Doval'e Glickman (Leon Schmigel)

Ariel-Nil Levy (Jacob Kagan)

Original title:

Murer: Anatomie eines Prozesses

Original language:

EnglishGerman

Format:

16:9 HD, Color

Age rating:

Starting at 12

Audio language:

German

Subtitles:

EnglishFrenchHungarian