The Master Game

Synopsis

In 1994, the Vienna Art Academy becomes embroiled in controversy when an unknown individual paints over 27 works by Arnulf Rainer, an artist recognized for his abstract overpainting technique. A year later, an unsigned letter claims responsibility, accusing Rainer of complicity with 'destructive modernism.' At the same time, Austria faces unrest from the Bajuwarian Liberation Army, which conducts mail bomb attacks in protest of perceived threats to German identity. The film investigates the connections between these events, intertwining art, politics, and national identity.