Hans Steinbichler just spent a few days with us to discuss his work and present his new film, DAS BLAUE VON HIMMEL (“Promising the Moon”). We are still getting excited emails from faculty and students who met him and were inspired by his film and his combination of passion and intelligence.
Hans had been here ten years ago to make a short film about Vittorio Hösle, a philosopher from Germany who has now been at Notre Dame for many years. Returning after a decade, he marveled at the tools and resources available at Notre Dame. But more than that, he felt inspired by the community of students and scholars who explored so eagerly with him the history and complexity of Heimat (roughly, the concept of “home” as in “homestead” or “homeland”), the relationship between memory and forgiveness, of history and place, of legacies in German film, of acting and filmmaking technique, and the potential of film as a medium, especially at a university. In short, Hans excited everyone who met him.
We look forward to seeing him and his work at Notre Dame again soon.