Throughout the year, Celebrating Luxembourg profiles the people who contribute positively to the grand duchy’s international reputation. 

Natalie Gerhardstein: If you could highlight three major dates in your life, what would they be?

Andy Bausch: As I have four children it would be quite unfair to chose three birthdays out of that, wouldn’t it? So I’d say one of the moments when I realised I was finally going to make the next movie. But there have been over 50 of these moments so far...

Would you have followed the same career path if you were not living in Luxembourg?

Not at all. I am considered as a pioneer in Luxembourgish cinema. I started in the 1980s, quite late for pioneering, if I think about other countries. I was lucky to be the first, the naïve and stubborn and--as some say--talented one, to take the risk.

In what way has the country enabled you to pursue the career you have? 

I could say there are not enough actors, not enough technicians, not enough locations, not enough ways to get a film financed. But I was making movies for German TV all over Germany for nearly ten years, and I decided that all these films are not as important as my Luxembourgish ones. It has been an honour to fight for Luxembourgish cinema ever since.

If someone said that you were a shining ambassador for Luxembourg, how would you take that?

I have been told that, believe me. Yeah, why not--I was making all these festivals and screening Luxembourgish films all over, before it became fashionable….it’s nice, but you realise that outside the borders most people know shit about your country.

Photo: Govinda VanMaele 

What does it mean to be Luxembourgish?

Kee Fransous, kee Preis a kee Pegi ze sinn, mee Stacklëtzebuerger, mat allen No-a Virdeeler.  I could translate that for you…for a drink?  

No Frenchman, no German and no Belgian, but through and through a Luxembourger, with all the negative and positive that goes with it.

When you talk about Luxembourg to non-Luxembourgers, what do they say?

“Oh, how interesting, I always thought it was in Germany?” Or, as I was told in a bar in New Mexico by some truckdriver, “Wow. That must be damned pretty dangerous being so close to Russia!”

When was the last time you wanted to give up your nationality or link to Luxembourg?

Everytime a project of mine is refused by the Luxembourgish film fund commission.

What’s your favourite Luxembourgish word?

Pimpampel. I could translate that for you…for another drink, though.

Where is your favourite/secret place in Luxembourg?

Home, next to my wife, my kids and my vinyl record collection.

In 2017, what will you do to ensure that the slogan - Let's make it happen – will happen?

What I’ve been doing for over 30 years, making things happen…making movies for moviegoers in Luxembourg. With or without a slogan.  

Andy’s next film, “Sixty8”, is scheduled for release in October. Through a psychadelic puzzle of interviews, archival footage and fiction scenes,itt tells the story about the struggle of the 1968 youth.

Celebrating Luxembourg

In 2017 Maison Moderne and Nvision celebrate Luxembourg by profiling 100 people who contribute positively to the country’s international reputation and brand image. The series will culminate in a gala evening on 13 December at Luxembourg Congrès.