Austrian filmmaker Gudrun Gruber, born in Leoben, studied Fine Arts at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna and Documentary Film Directing at the University of Television and Film in Munich. She directed and produced shorts and feature length documentaries in Germany, Spain, Canada and the United States. Her films have been shown at international film festivals around the globe receiving nominations and awards. Her newest documentary “Restoration”, (2023, 72 min) accompanies Detroit resident Sabrina Banks as she comes to terms with her violent past.

In my work as a filmmaker, I’m drawn to social issues that unfold along personal and biographical timelines. I see documentary film as a narrative tool that operates at the intersection of inner and outer worlds—where socio-economic forces interact with psychological narratives. The geographic locations in my films are never just backdrops; their atmosphere and visual presence become part of the story, reflecting the protagonists’ inner journeys and offering insight into their realities. For me, cinematic storytelling is an empathetic, emotional language—one that can perforate boundaries and creates small openings toward a shared, universal human experience.