"We were happy here, for a little while."
Four Oscars and numerous international film awards are the laurels for this homage inspired by Stefan Zweig's characters and moods from eclectic and master of set design cinema, Wes Anderson. The eponymous hotel in the fictional republic of Zubrowka, located on the "easternmost frontier of the European continent," still exudes the charm of bygone days: concierge Gustave H. and his protégé Zéro Moustafa are caught unawares in the intricate dispute over a large family fortune. Intrigue, fraud, even murder - and the theft of a valuable painting weld the two together against the backdrop of burgeoning wars in the 1930s. A colorful, star-studded and amusing as well as profound pleasure.
- Florian Widegger / Programme Director, Filmarchiv Austria