Austrian actress Martina Martinz may be unknown to US readers, but over the last year, she has been getting attention from indie film reviewers due to her lead role in Andreas Ortner’s 2020 award-winning short film, Change of Course (original German title; Richtungswechsel). So far, the film has won 19 awards in 12 countries since its submission to the film festival circuit last year.
Change of Course has received somewhat mixed reviews from critics, however the vast majority lean toward the positive. In the film, Martina plays the “Moderator of the Heart,” opposite the “Moderator of the Mind,” played by director Andreas Ortneras. The two characters “break the fourth wall” and speak directly to the film’s viewers, addressing this pandemic and the “change of course” our lives have taken due to its effect on us.
Martina also has a role in the upcoming short film, Futter im Trog (Feed in the Trough), in which she plays “Die Hornbläserin” (“The Hornblower”). Her role is described as “the cheeky, the wake-up girl who repeatedly announces the farmer in the scenes,” which should be interesting. Learn more on the young actress, sci-fi fan, and model (model, sort of by default) in the following exclusive interview.
CHRIS CHARLES: Hello Martina and thank you for doing this.
MARTINA MARTINZ: Hello, or as we say it in Austria; SERVUS! Thanks for the opportunity.
CHRIS: You were first brought to my attention by your appearance in Andreas Ortner’s short film Change of Course. How were you chosen for your role in that film?
MARTINA: Yes. My colleague Andreas Ortner suggested me to the screenwriter Helmut Michael Kemmer, and here I am!
CHRIS: That film has earned quite a lot of attention and praise from indie film festivals. Have you appeared at any film festivals with Mr. Ortner?
MARTINA: Unfortunately, not yet. Due the pandemic, we couldn’t be at any festivals. Hopefully, we’ll get the chance to.
CHRIS: Change of Course addresses the current situation we are in with the pandemic. How have you, personally, been most affected by the pandemic and what do you miss the most?
MARTINA: The art scene was very neglected during the pandemic. Theaters and cinemas were closed for a long time. Many of us had no clue when normality would return. My classes at the CMA (Carinthian Music Academy) in Ossiach took place only online, which turned out to be quite difficult in the field of acting. What I miss the most is the easier access of life.
CHRIS: What have been some of you other acting roles?
MARTINA: I recently took the role of “Hornbläserin” in the short movie Futter im Trog. On stage, I play some monologue scenes such as “Alison” from Trainspotting and “Luise” from Love and Intrigue by Friedrich Schiller.
CHRIS: I read you were in a horror short entitled, The Attic. Please tell us about that.
MARTINA: The Attic was rather a short, improvised video that my colleague Harald Walzer had in mind. He also
filmed it. The clip was made in the attic of his parents’ house. It’s about a young woman who hears strange noises above her and then she looks up and .…watch it on my Youtube channel! (Video at the end of the interview.)
CHRIS: Do you have a favorite film genre?
MARTINA: I prefer to watch sci-fi, action, or fantasy. Sometimes horror or a good thriller it can be.
CHRIS: Are you currently working on any film projects?
MARTINA: My last project was in Mölltal, directed by H.M. Kemmer. At the end of October, I would have had a project in Munich that I unfortunately had to cancel for personal reasons. I hope to be back in camera very soon!
CHRIS: Are there any US film actresses you particularly admire?
MARTINA: I loved Carrie Fisher in Star Wars. Otherwise, Meryl Streep is awesome. This woman could play everything.
CHRIS: I see you also have a modeling profile online. When did you start modeling?
MARTINA: For real?? I totally forgot about that. A friend made me do that, but I was never active on that page.
CHRIS: Have you had any favorite photo shoots?
MARTINA: As I mentioned it earlier, I didn’t follow this up. Photos were taken on set or for my portfolio.
CHRIS: I understand you play the piano and guitar?
MARTINA: That’s right. I had learned the guitar in elementary school and a little when I was fifteen. I started playing the piano very late around the age of nineteen, and I still play it.
CHRIS: You also speak Italian?
MARTINA: Un po! I learned it in school. A little bit still got stuck. I am currently trying my hand in Spanish.
CHRIS: What are some of your hobbies?
MARTINA: I have three dogs. I prefer to spend time with them. Otherwise, I like to paint and read, I do a lot of
sports and I also love being in nature. Austria offers many wonderful places.
CHRIS: Thanks so much again for answering these questions so readers can get to know more about you, Martina. In closing, is there anyone you like to mention or anything you’d like to say to fans?
MARTINA: Do what you love, life is too short. And stay supple!
Martina in The Attic
See more of Martina at:
Her IMDb page
CMA Ossiach
Her Youtube channel.
Thank you to Andreea Boyer of Mabig Film Festival.
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About the author
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Chris flirted with the music business there and in Nashville before joining the U.S. Army and serving in South Korea. He remained in Asia for several years afterwards, teaching English, traveling, and covering the regional entertainment scenes. Currently in a mindset between Seoul and San Francisco, besides Idol Features, you can also catch his writings in the print edition of the monthly magazine, Effective.
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