Die Walsche (1986)

Olga works in a bar and likes to philosophize with the customers, who, however, have little taste for such sophisticated conversation. In the middle of one of these conversations, Olga receives news of her father’s death. Her boyfriend, Silvano, would like to accompany her to the funeral, but Olga vehemently refuses. As an Italian, he is not welcome in Tyrol, and she constantly has to justify her love for him to her family—something she wants to spare herself this time. Although fascism is supposed to have been defeated, the German-speaking population of Tyrol believes it must protect itself from “Italianization.” Much of the population rejects “mixed marriages” between Tyroleans and Italians. Olga has to hear from her brother that her relationship drove their father to his death. She suffers because of this, which greatly affects her mood and is why she often argues with Silvano. Silvano also feels the Tyroleans’ hostility toward him when he accompanies Olga on a visit to her mother. Inevitably, they argue again on the way back. Olga has to return to her home village several times to arrange her father’s funeral. The villagers make it unmistakably clear that she is not welcome. Despite this, Olga and Silvano cannot imagine life without each other. Their love is put to another test when Olga suffers a miscarriage.