PRIX EUROPA
Best European Radio Documentary of the Year 2011
LADIES OF THE MANOR. SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE
DIE HERRINNEN. SZENEN EINER ZWECKGEMEINSCHAFT
Entering organisation: Österreichischer Rundfunk - ORF
Country: Austria
Eva Roither (Author/Director),
Martin Leitner, Stefan Weber (Sound),
Elisabeth Stratka (Commissioning editor/Producer)
JURY CITATION
"They have been living together for 30 years. Quite alone in 600 square metres of space - the lady of the Castle and her housekeeper. Through this surprisingly controversial, vivid and intense relationship which is sometimes also harsh and tender, confronting and loving, the whole history of 20th century Europe emerges in a strong and all encompassing manner. The author, together with the sound engineer, visited the ladies over a period of several years and recorded scenes from an unusual relationship marked by a mutual pitting of strength."
SYNOPSIS
They have been living together for thirty years. The Lady of Lengenfeld Castle, Christa Hauer-Fruhmann (b. 1925) and her housekeeper Maria Moser (b. 1920). Quite alone in 600 square metres of space. In no way does this mean that the two women address one another in the intimate 'you' form; only in the heat of an argument does the one or other ever forget the polite 'you' form. And the arguments are unquestionably frequent, for both the former artist Christa Hauer-Fruhmann and Maria Moser, who was once a mere farm labourer, have learnt to come out on top in life.
The author, together with the sound-engineer visited the ladies over a period of several years and recorded scenes from an unusual relationship; a relationship marked by a mutual pitting of strength. The relationship is, however, also marked by the unpleasant fact of a total mutual dependency.