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An Austro-Hungarian composer who lived during World War II, Franz Lehár joined the nazi camp to maintain his career-indeed he became Hitler's favorite composer. Because he was on the best of term with top Nazi dignitaries, some persecuted artists hoped, in vain, that he could intercede in their favor. Such was the case of one friend, the Jewish songwriter Fritz Beda-Löhner, who had written The Land of Smiles, one of Lehár's most popular operettas. The film is the story of this man, who died in Auschwitz in 1942, a man whom Lehár could perhaps have saved.

Austria - 2003 - 29 mn - Betacam Digital - Colour

Director Otto Schwarz Camera Gerald Frey Sound Fred Kickmair Editing Daniel Tschinder

Production Österreichischer Rundfunk, Würzburggasse 30, 1136 Vienne, Autriche Tél : +43 187 878 2612 Fax : +43 187 878 3731

Sales Österreichischer Rundfunk, Karin Plank, Würzburggasse 30, 1136 Vienne, Autriche Tél : + 43 1 878 781 4515 Fax : +43 187 878 3731 E-mail : karin.plank@orf.at