Pandora's Legacy

“Dreams and parallel worlds, as well as escapism in psychoanalysis, have always fascinated me. My films often revolve around people who live in self-created 'imaginary' worlds, indulge in unusual passions, and question the reality of (norm) society.”

I met Daniel Pabst in the Viennese music scene. He mentioned that he was active as an art collector. His business card read: ‘Collection Pabst.’ I asked him if he happened to be related to G.W. Pabst. He nodded: "My grandfather!" Subtle pride flashed in his eyes. As a film enthusiast and a great fan of the early films of G.W. Pabst, my curiosity was sparked. In personal conversations, Daniel shared stories about his childhood and his grandmother, Trude Pabst, who ‘continued to live’ in his grandfather’s films after his death. These stories were so incredible that, already while listening, I saw a film in my mind. With great openness, he also described how verbal violence and oppression from his grandfather ran through the family, and how his father, Michael Pabst, suffered from it throughout his life.

When his father died, Daniel began to confront his family history in order to understand the inherited feelings and traumas that had been passed down to him over generations.”

Angela Christlieb