Lovely Rita

Directed by Jessica Hausner
Film Movement
2001
79 Minutes
Austria, Germany
German, English
Drama
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Rita, a willful and unruly teenager, is on the verge of womanhood. Her sexual awakening leads her to intimacy with a schoolboy, too young, and a bus driver, too old. Rita’s efforts to break out of her solitude and claustrophobic environment isolate her even more, until one day she crosses the line.

Director & Cast

  • Director: Jessica Hausner
  • Starring: Barbara Osika
  • Starring: Christoph Bauer
  • Starring: Peter Fiala
  • Starring: Wolfgang Kostal
  • Starring: Karina Brandmlmayer

Where to Watch

Trailer

Photos

Reviews

  • "A deliciously observed, ironic take on middle-class Austrian life through an introverted teen’s eyes...."
    Derek Elley, Variety
  • "[A] well-judged and sensitive portrayal of a pressured, superficial upbringing. [T]his is a movie that will find much identification with anyone whose teenage years were remotely angst ridden, with Hausner capturing the simmering tensions of suburban life with assured ease."
    Danny Graydon, BBC.com
  • "Hausner makes a highly impressive feature debut with this tragi-comic portrait of a withdrawn teenager. [I]t signals Hausner as a director with a very distinctive vision and major-league potential."
    Sheila Johnston, Screen Daily
  • "[The film has] a cheerfully subversive sense of humor."
    Michael Rechtshaffen, The Hollywood Reporter
  • "The feature debut of young Austrian director Jessica Hausner, Lovely Rita is a coolly assured and darkly amusing exploration of adolescent loneliness. Its knack for veering into tragedy without descending into histrionics has even drawn comparisons with the work of Michael Haneke."
    Total Film
  • "Osika is perfect as Rita, half-child, half-woman, but then Hausner's cool, compassionate, naturalistic script, reminiscent of early Fassbinder, gives her plenty to play with."
    Brian Montgomery, DVDBeaver.com
Winner
FIPRESCI Prize
Viennale
Winner
Vienna Film Award
Viennale
Nominated
Un Certain Regard Award
Cannes Film Festival
Nominated
Gold Hugo
Chicago Int'l. Film Festival
Nominated
European Discovery
European Film Awards
Official Selection
Karlovy Vary Int'l. Film Festival
Official Selection
Toronto Int'l. Film Festival
Official Selection
Int'l. Film Festival Rotterdam