Austrian film and TV industry distances itself from ‘Bodice’ actor Florian Teichtmeister after being charged with possession of child pornography

The Austrian film and television industry quickly distanced itself from Austrian actor Florian Teichtmeister, who was charged on Friday with possession of child pornography. Teichtmeister is the male lead in Austria’s official Oscar submission, “Corsage.” Meanwhile, the film’s producers and its director-writer released a statement about what they knew and when.

Austrian public broadcaster ORF, which co-funded “Corsage,” said it would remove all shows in which Teichtmeister appears, and cinema chain Cineplexx said “Corsage” would be dropped from its schedules. The Burgtheater in Vienna, Austria’s national theatre, has terminated the actor’s contract with immediate effect.

Teichtmeister’s attorney, Michael Rami, said the actor intends to plead guilty to charges related to possession of 58,000 child pornography images. Teichtmeister is due in court on February 8. He faces up to two years in prison.

Film AG, the Vienna-based film production company behind “Corsage,” released a statement from the film’s producers, Alexander Glehr and Johanna Scherz, and its director-screenwriter, Marie Kreutzer.

He says: “Since filming ended in July 2021, Florian Teichtmeister no longer has a working relationship with us. Nevertheless, we would have expected him to inform us early on of the police investigation into the allegations. Quite the opposite has happened: After rumors surfaced after filming wrapped in the fall of 2021, Florian Teichtmeister, in response to an explicit inquiry into these rumors, cogently assured us (so than others) of their falsity.

The statement said they learned of the charges through the media on Friday.

He adds: “In the meantime, we have informed our co-producers, national and international distribution partners, financiers and sponsors, as well as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences with as many details of publicly available facts about Florian Teichtmeister and will continue to do so.

“We don’t want one actor’s gross misconduct to destroy the incredible performance of the entire cast and crew of the film. But no matter what’s happening now with the film: the love and recognition that ‘Corsage’ has received cannot be removed.

In the statement, Kreutzer said: “I am sad and angry that a feminist film that over 300 people from all over Europe have worked on for years could be tarnished and damaged by the horrific actions of one person. But I am even sadder and angry at the extent to which child sexual abuse videos and photos are produced, distributed and consumed. We cannot see into the depths of our fellow man. This case brutally highlights how helpless we are in the face of such a horrible subject and how stronger political, repressive but also psychotherapeutic measures are urgently needed.