ORF-E
English
1 x 45 min
Worldwide

Angelic voices in sailor suits: That’s the image of the Vienna Boys’ Choir rooted in the minds of people around the world. On sold-out concert tours, they delight the masses. Their performance at the Vienna New Year’s Concert reaches an audience of billions. In Austria, they are part of the cultural identity anyway. Yet hardly anyone can imagine what the not quite normal everyday life of a Vienna Choir Boy is like.

The documentary “The Vienna Boys’ Choir — A Polyphonic Youth” shows a very special point of view: From the perspective of a Choir Boy, the viewer experiences the boarding-school life in Vienna’s Augarten, collegiality as well as competition among the boys, the tension before the performances and carefree moments playing football or during the annual holidays together in Sekirn am Wörthersee. The camera captures the events naturally and unobtrusively. Pupils, teachers, and supervising tutors are introduced cheerfully, sometimes a little cheekily and with mischievous wit. Quiet and loud moments take turns. They play tricks, conscientiously do choir practice, go on long-distance journeys and celebrate every football match won with the same enthusiasm as a much applauded concert.