Michael Pfeifenberger, Austria, 2013, 52'

A documentary film that compares the lives and works of two very different composers who had strong impact on culture and society. Although they shared passion for music, their motivation for work was very different. Politically passive Richard Strauss composed The Knight of the Rose, and of course politically active Kurt Weill had to create a contrast to such artworks with The Threepenny Opera. In this sense, the documentary Different Spirits, among other things, asks a question: What kind of political responsibility does culture have – in the past and today?

The movie will be followed by a discussion with the director Michael Pfeifenberger.