The European Forum Alpbach was founded in 1945, in direct response to the devastation left across Europe by World War II. A tiny mountaintop village in the Austrian Tyrol became the perfect retreat for some of the world’s most important thinkers—among them, Karl Popper, the renowned philosopher of science; Erwin Schrödinger, Nobel Prize-winning physicist and pioneer of quantum mechanics; Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel Prize-winning economist known for his work on inequality and globalization; and Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary-General and tireless advocate for sustainability and peace.
More than 75 years later, EFA continues to bring together extraordinary minds—young and old—from across business, politics, and civil society, engaging in dialogue within a radically transformed global landscape.
At the invitation of the EFA leadership team, and in collaboration with A Hundred Years, I was invited to capture the essence of the Forum as it exists today—within this transformed global context. We quickly mobilised a small, local crew and made our way up the mountain, uncovering the story on the ground and enjoying every moment of the experience.
Huge thanks to commissioners Sonja Joecht and Andreas Trechl for their trust. Thanks also to A Hundred Years for setting the stage.
credits
Directed by: myself
Director of Photography: Benjamin Kempf Siemens
Producer: Oliver Patrick Spinedi
Production Manager: Merit Wirz
Editor: Sarah Grohnert