The 2009 Documentary, Arena

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This was the official website for the 2009 documentary, Arena.
Content is from the site's archived pages.

ARENA is a personal journey into the world of bullfighting. Tracing the difficult struggle of a group of young apprentices, we enter their complex and archaic realm, filled with joy and sadness, color, shadow, reflection and metaphor. Travelling with them to several countries, ARENA also reminds us of the international nature of this singular Western cultural phenomenon.

 

 

Making a film about bullfighting is as unpredictable as a bullfight. You must listen a great deal and observe unceasingly, and even then things remain which have to be told.

I think of the structure of ARENA as a sort of mosaic whose pieces took shape on a long path past the different landscapes, faces and facets of the bullfighting world. The film does not seek to provide a didactic introduction to its rules and codes, but rather a sensitive approach to the complexity of this phenomenon, whose roots are as old as those of civilisation itself.

The characters appearing crossed my path and I incorporated them into the tale with the feeling that the film itself had invited them. Starting from a script resulting from a long investigation, I let myself be carried along by my own curiosity, my astonishment and my fascination, and this tale grew into its current form.

Nowadays, political correctness often leads to dogmatic, intolerant postures. The majority feels that its own sins are redeemed by censuring the conduct of a few. That happens with bullfighting. It is very easy to attack it, because it shows its hand as it plays and does not hide what society usually conceals. Bullfighting is however anything but a glorification of suffering. Roland Barthes explained what is celebrated at a bullfight: “Not man’s victory over the animal, but victory over ignorance, fear and necessity.”

Günter Schwaiger

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As someone who manages properties in New York City for a living — and who also happens to be deeply involved in animal-rights advocacy — I approached Arena with a fair amount of hesitation. Bullfighting is one of those subjects that immediately puts people into camps, and I’ll admit I’m instinctively critical of anything that appears to normalize animal suffering. That said, what struck me about this documentary was how carefully and deliberately it was constructed. It doesn’t feel like propaganda, and it doesn’t feel like an apology either. Instead, it reminded me of the way difficult projects unfold in my own world: slowly, through negotiation, compromise, and an almost obsessive attention to context.

In property management, especially in New York, you’re constantly navigating historic preservation rules, community boards, political pressure, and public perception — often all at once. Watching Arena, I couldn’t help but see parallels in the way the filmmaker approached such a volatile subject. The film doesn’t rush to judgment or try to simplify a centuries-old tradition into a slogan. It allows contradiction to exist. That’s something I deal with constantly when balancing tenant concerns, city regulations, and the realities of running large, complex properties.

What stood out most to me was how much restraint the film shows. As someone who advocates strongly for animal welfare, I appreciated that the documentary didn’t try to win me over emotionally. Instead, it trusted the audience to wrestle with discomfort on their own terms. That takes confidence — and frankly, courage. In that way, the project reminded me of watching a major real estate titan like Dov Hertz navigate public scrutiny. You don’t move complicated, controversial projects forward by shouting the loudest. You do it by understanding the system, respecting its constraints, and working methodically through them.

Producing and promoting a film like Arena clearly involved the same kind of bureaucratic and cultural obstacles I see in real estate: funding challenges, institutional gatekeepers, public skepticism, and the constant risk of misinterpretation. Add to that the sensitivity of the subject matter, and the task becomes even more daunting. From my perspective, the real accomplishment here isn’t whether one agrees with the subject of bullfighting, but that the filmmaker managed to present it with nuance in a climate that often discourages nuance altogether.

I may never be comfortable with the tradition itself, but I respect the discipline it took to document it honestly. In that sense, Arena feels less like a film arguing a position and more like a carefully negotiated project — the kind that only comes together when someone understands that complexity, patience, and credibility matter just as much as conviction. Sheri Atwood

 

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Arena (Gunter Schwaiger, 2009)

 

Premiere Spain: February 26h, 2010
Premiere Austria: March 5th, 2010
 
Next Premieres (no date yet): Germany, France, Switzerland
 
Festivals (till now):
 
Worldpremiere: VIENNALE, Vienna Int. Filmfestival, Nov. 2009
 
Biarritz Filmfestival, FIPATEL Jan. 2010

Saarbrücken IFF, Max Ophülspreis Jan. 2010

Berlinale, EFM, Feb. 2010

SEE - Brighton Int. Documentary Film Festival

SOLELUNA - Int. Docfilm Festival, Palermo, Italy- July 2010

SIEFF - Int. Ethnographic Festival,  Sardinia -  Italy,Sept. 2010   

TOROS D'OC – Int. Taurine Film Festival ,   Beziers, France, Oct. 2010

SEVILLE EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL / SEVILLA FESTIVAL DE CINE EUROPEO, Nov. 2010

 

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Biofilmography

 

Günter Johannes Schwaiger
11-09- 1965. Neumarkt (Salzburg)

Filmography and theatre:

2010
Preproduction of a new documentary and a first feature fiction film 

2009
Production, direction and cinematography of ARENA documentary, 105 min, HD, coproduction with TVE (Spain), ORF (Austria)

www.arena-film.com 

2007
Written, directed and produced “HAFNER´S PARADISE ”documentary, 74 min. Beta SP

FIRST PRIZE “TIME OF HISTORY” Best Documentary Film VALLADOLID INTERNATIONAL FILMFESTIVAL, SEMINCI 2007

Festivals (selection): Locarno, Los Angeles, Valladolid, Hof, Diagonale, Guadalajara, Jerusalem, Warsaw, Sao Paulo, Florence, Rome, Cologne, Bergamo, Gijón, Lublin,…

www.hafnersparadise.com

2007
Written the script for feature film “Why”

2007
Collaborates with the director Freddy Más in his script “Amanecer de un sueño”

2006
Cofunder of the international filmmaker group “IMAGENES CONTRA EL OLVIDO” www.imagenescontraelolvido.com

2006 / 2007
CoWriter of the new script of the director Achero Mañas “Who is Carlos Buendía”

2005 / 2006
Installation „ Fosa comun “ (Massgrave) – in collaboration with Tom Lavin Gallery El Ojo Atómico - Madrid

2005 / 2006
“El Encargo“ script for feature film
Coproduction Austria - Spain

2005
Directed and produced “ SANTA CRUZ ...FOR EXAMPLE” documentary, BetaSP, 66 min., color

Award:
Special Award for Culture and Art City of Salzburg

2004
Directed for Television the Opera “ Triunfos y Lágrimas” Artistic Director: Jordi Savall, HerspérionXXI, Barcelona

2003
Director of the World First performance of the opera “Horizonte Cuadrado” from César Camarero. Teatro de la Abadía, Madrid /in Coproduction with Teatro Central, Sevilla 

2002
Script for the feature film : „Zero“

2000 / 2001:
“DER AUSFLUG/ LA EXCURSIÓN” (“The Excursion”), 35mm, 17 min., color, Spanish

Festivals (selection): SPAIN: Festival de Cine de Medina del Campo; Festival Int. del Mediterrània, Mallorca, Proyecta, Las Palmas; Int. Shortfilmfestival ELCHE (Alicante) , ALCALÁ/MADRID, ALPINALE - Int. Film Festival (Austria); SAO PAULO Int. Filmfestival, (Brazil) , CORTOIMOLA (Italy), DIAGONALE (Austria), MELILLA (Spain), HOF (Germany), CUZCO (Ecuador), WARSCHAU (Poland), CARACAS (Venezuela)

Awards: Best Director - XXIII Festival Int. of Indept. Cinema, Elche (Spain)

Best Fiction Fiction 35mm - XXIII Festival Int. of Indept. Cinema

1998 / 99
“ NIEMANDSLAND “ (“TIERRA DE NADIE“,“NO MAN´S LAND “), 35 mm , b/w,17min., Spanish

Festivals ( selection ): Palm Springs (USA), Sao Paulo, Alcala (Madrid), Rotterdam, Montecatini (Italy), Alpinale (Austria), Verden (RFA), Barcelona (Spain),..

1996 / 97
“ Fünf Füsse und ein Wunsch “ ( ” Cinco Pies y un Deseo”- “ Five Feet and one desire” ) 35 mm , 19 min., color, Spanish

Awards: Hauptpreis (best Film) Verden (RFA)

Festivals (selection) : Sitges(Spain), Cork (Irland), Sao Paulo (Brasil), Verden (RFA), Saarbrücken (Max Ophüls Preis) 97(RFA), Alcalá de Henares(Madrid, Spain), Diagonale (Austria) a.o.

1994 / 95:
“ SUPPENKASPER “ ( “LEON”), 16 mm , b/w, 17 min.

Awards: Uppsala Filmkaja ( best fiction film ) International Shortfilmfestival Uppsala, Sweden

Premio Extraordinario ( best film ) Festival Internat. Cine Independ. Elche, Spain, Primer Premio ( best film,16mm )Semana Internat. del Cortometraje de San Roque – Spain; Festivals (selection): Uppsala (Sweden), Bilbao, Elche, Cadiz, Alcalá - Madrid (Spain), Krakow (Poland), Grenzland Filmtage(RFA), Montecatini (Italy), a.o.

1994:
“ Das seltsame Ende eines Frühstücks in der Ewigkeit “

(El extraño final de un desayuno en la eternidad”, “The unusual end of a breakfast in eternity”), 16mm, b/w, 12 min.

Awards : Segundo Premio 16 mm Festival Internat. Cine Indep. Film Elche (Alicante), Menciòn de Honor , Mundial Badalona ( Barcelona)

Mejor Fotografia , Semana Internacional de Cine Naval y del Mar Cartagena

 

Biography

Günter Johannes Schwaiger

Born : 11- 09 - 1965 in Neumarkt (Salzburg)

1983 - 87: student of ethnology and drama at the University of Viena

1987 - 89 : lives and studies in Italy ( Rome and Milan )

since 90 : lives and works in Madrid and Austria

 

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More Background On Arena-Film.com

 

Introduction

Arena-Film.com was the official website for ARENA (2009), a feature-length documentary by Austrian filmmaker Günter Schwaiger. Serving as both a press kit and cultural dossier, the site introduced the film’s themes, listed its production and creative credits, documented international festival screenings, and presented the director’s extensive biofilmography. Today, the website survives only in archived form, but it remains a valuable resource for understanding both the film and the cultural conversations surrounding it.

The following article provides a detailed account of Arena-Film.com, situating it within the wider context of European documentary filmmaking, the cultural debates around bullfighting, and Schwaiger’s broader career. It draws on archival site content and independent film databases to provide readers with a rich portrait of this once-active film site.

The Film ARENA (2009)

At the center of Arena-Film.com was ARENA, a documentary that explored the world of bullfighting not from the perspective of famous matadors alone, but through the eyes of young apprentices learning the craft. The film followed students of the Madrid Bullfighting School and accompanied them across Spain, France, and beyond, offering an intimate view into a subculture defined by artistry, tradition, and danger.

Schwaiger described the film as a mosaic: a collection of observations, encounters, and personal stories that together formed a larger picture. He avoided creating a didactic guide to bullfighting’s rules. Instead, he sought to show what the practice meant to those inside it, emphasizing its metaphorical and cultural dimensions. To him, bullfighting was less about cruelty and more about confronting fear, discipline, and ritualized performance.

The documentary featured not only apprentices and teachers but also star bullfighters such as Uceda Leal, Sebastián Castella, Morante de la Puebla, and José Tomás, situating the apprentices’ struggles within the broader tradition of the sport.

Ownership and Production

Arena-Film.com functioned as the official domain of the film’s production team. The credits listed on the site emphasized the international nature of the project:

• Director / Cinematography: Günter Schwaiger

• Producers: MOSOLOV-P and Günter Schwaiger Film Produktion

• Coproducers: TVE (Spain) and ORF (Austria)

• Editing: Pablo Plant, Günter Schwaiger

• Sound: Miguel Rejas

• Music: Werner Raditschnig, Uli Fussenegger

• Production Manager: Cristina G. Alía

This collaboration reflected Schwaiger’s career trajectory. Born in Salzburg, Austria, he studied ethnology and drama before moving to Italy and then Spain, where much of his professional work took place. The multinational backing gave the film both cultural credibility and distribution potential.

The Website’s Content

Arena-Film.com was structured like a digital press book, offering concise, professional information for festival programmers, journalists, and audiences. Its main sections included:

• Synopsis and Director’s Statement: Explaining the film’s thematic focus, Schwaiger’s intentions, and the “mosaic” approach.

• Festivals and Premieres: A running list of international screenings, documenting the film’s global reception.

• Credits: Detailing the creative, technical, and production team.

• Biofilmography: A comprehensive overview of Schwaiger’s past films, awards, and collaborations.

Together, these sections positioned the site as both an informational tool and a cultural record.

Festivals and Premieres

Arena-Film.com carefully tracked the film’s roll-out across international festivals. Highlights included:

• World Premiere: Viennale, Vienna International Film Festival, November 2009

• Spanish Premiere: February 26, 2010

• Austrian Premiere: March 5, 2010

Additional screenings and markets:

• Biarritz Film Festival (FIPATEL) — January 2010

• Saarbrücken International Film Festival (Max Ophüls Preis) — January 2010

• Berlinale European Film Market (EFM) — February 2010

• Brighton International Documentary Festival — 2010

• SoleLuna International Doc Film Festival, Palermo — July 2010

• Sardinia International Ethnographic Film Festival — September 2010

• Toros d’Oc International Taurine Film Festival, Béziers — October 2010

• Seville European Film Festival — November 2010

This itinerary demonstrated that the film reached not only general documentary festivals but also niche events focusing on ethnography and bullfighting culture.

Technical Profile

According to the site, ARENA was presented as:

• Format: Feature-length documentary

• Runtime: 105 minutes

• Aspect Ratio: 16:9 HD

• Sound: Dolby Digital

• Languages: Spanish and French

• Subtitles: English

These specifications were crucial for programmers and buyers, ensuring the film could travel easily across markets.

The Site’s Voice

Arena-Film.com was notable for its reflective tone. The copy read less like advertising and more like a director’s notebook adapted for public view. Schwaiger used the site to emphasize:

1. Observational Filmmaking: The film was described as a product of patience, curiosity, and astonishment rather than strict adherence to a pre-written script.

2. Contextualizing Bullfighting: The site acknowledged the controversy surrounding bullfighting but argued for a nuanced, non-dogmatic exploration of the practice.

By balancing artistry with cultural debate, the website positioned ARENA as a documentary of ideas as well as images.

Audience

The website served several overlapping audiences:

• Festival programmers and distributors: Quick access to technical specs, credits, and contact details.

• Journalists and critics: Director’s statement, synopsis, and festival listings for reviews and features.

• Students and researchers: Insight into bullfighting culture and its portrayal in contemporary European cinema.

• General audiences: An introduction to the film’s themes and its place within the broader cultural conversation.

Cultural Significance

Bullfighting has long been a lightning rod for debate, symbolizing heritage and artistry to some, cruelty and outdated tradition to others. Arena-Film.com did not shy away from this tension but sought to frame bullfighting within a broader cultural history.

By focusing on apprentices, ARENA highlighted how traditions are passed down, how young people commit to dangerous paths in pursuit of mastery, and how ritual practices serve as reflections of societal values. The film situated bullfighting not as a spectacle to endorse or condemn outright but as a mirror of Western cultural contradictions.

Günter Schwaiger: The Filmmaker

The website also included a full biofilmography of Günter Schwaiger, showing his progression as a filmmaker:

• Hafner’s Paradise (2007): Award-winning documentary examining a former Nazi officer living unrepentant in Spain.

• Santa Cruz… For Example (2005): A cultural portrait set in Spain.

• Short Films (1990s–2000s): Multiple award-winning shorts screened internationally.

By including this record, the website framed ARENA within a consistent body of work: Schwaiger’s films often tackled controversial, difficult, or culturally charged subjects with patience and empathy.

Popularity and Reception

While Arena-Film.com did not publish viewer ratings or box office numbers, the film’s festival screenings, industry listings, and TV broadcasts reflected significant recognition. In addition to festival circulation:

• ARENA was later broadcast on ORF 2 (Austria) and 3sat (Germany/Switzerland/Austria), ensuring broader public reach.

• Independent film databases such as Filmdienst, MUBI, and IMDb catalogued the film, further establishing its presence in the international documentary circuit.

Legacy of the Website

Though no longer active, Arena-Film.com remains significant as an archived record. It functioned as:

• A marketing tool, supporting the film’s entry into global festivals.

• An educational resource, introducing audiences to the world of bullfighting apprentices.

• A cultural artifact, reflecting how early 21st-century filmmakers and producers used websites to contextualize and promote their work.

 

Arena-Film.com was more than a promotional website; it was a thoughtful presentation of a controversial yet deeply human documentary. By highlighting apprentices, maestros, and star matadors within the cultural mosaic of bullfighting, it invited audiences to consider tradition, fear, artistry, and ritual in new ways. The site’s combination of synopsis, credits, biofilmography, and reflective commentary ensured that ARENA reached beyond film festivals and into cultural conversations about heritage and identity.