The Spaces of Vienna

Sci-fi film festival brings diverse Vienna neighborhood together  

By Abbie Smith 

VIENNA – For residents of the Margareten area of south Vienna, Bruno Kreisky Park here is a playground, a backyard and, for nearly two weeks in the spring, an open-air cinema.  

The “Science Fiction Im Park” sci-fi film festival, held in May and June for each of the last 10 years, was the brainchild of Vienna residents Wolfgang and Susanne Kappeler-Niederwieser. By day they have their own, separate jobs, but by night, sci-fi brings them together. 

As the sun sets, an inflatable movie screen is set up in the park’s largest open area, one about the size of half of a football field. Soon a food truck will begin churning out beer, bratwurst, fried foods and popcorn. Depending on the movie, the nightly film crowd ranges from 400 to 1,500, according to the Kappeler-Neiderwiesers. 

The quality of both the film program and Bruno Kreisky Park attract the big crowds, Susanne  

Kappeler-Niederwieser said.  

To mark the festival’s tenth anniversary, the couple extended the festival’s run from six to 10 days, showing a different award-winning science fiction films each night.  

Even after 10 years, the Kappeler-Niederwiesers said they are amazed by the festival’s following. 

Neighborhood resident Nici Vicente said she was new to “Science Fiction Im Park,” deciding to bring friends for the run’s last day in mid-June to watch Mission to Mars. 

“The event is cool because it’s getting to be summer,” she said. “We can sit outside and drink wine and beer. But it’s about the movies especially.” Vicente said.  

Sandro Kallinger, on the other hand, came for the company. 

 “We haven’t seen each other for a while, so we said, ‘OK, we’ll sit outside and have some beers and then there will be a movie,’” Kallinger said. “I don’t even know what’s on.” 

Another audience member from Vienna, Stefan Wagner, said though he isn’t necessarily a sci-fi film fan, the atmosphere of the event is special. 

“I love it because there are so many people here. And it doesn’t depend on the movie,” he said.  

When the festival isn’t running, Bruno Kriesky hosts teens playing soccer, helmet-wearing 5-year-olds learning to ride their bikes, dog-owners, lovers in hammocks, and the occasional vagrant, among many others. And a daily fixture when the weather is good: a group of retirees at a picnic table its members move to chase the shade, so they can play cards.  

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