Import/Export

A Ukrainian nurse facing financial strain who takes precarious jobs to support her child. Her move to Vienna leads to domestic work, then a hospital job, and a fraught bond with an elderly man seeking citizenship. Her decisions reflect resilience amid precarious economic conditions and social barriers.

A young Viennese man living with his mother and stepfather, disciplined by martial arts and a security job that is lost after a confrontation. He becomes entangled in his stepfather’s schemes in Ukraine, accumulating debt and straining his relationships while seeking a path forward.

Pauli’s stepfather who pushes him into illegal ventures in Eastern Europe. He acts as a catalyst for Pauli’s travels and a source of pressure and manipulation, amplifying the film’s themes of risk and exploitation.

An elderly man who asks Olga to marry him to obtain Austrian citizenship, representing a desperate bid for security and status. He dies of a heart attack before the wedding, ending that particular route to legitimacy.

A figure within the Vienna setting connected to Olga’s life, symbolizing institutional care and authority within the systems Olga encounters as she navigates employment and housing.

Pauli’s mother, a domestic presence in his life who provides context for his behavior and the family dynamics that shape his choices and sense of security.

The other maternal figure connected to Paul, reflecting family tensions and loyalties that influence the protagonists’ decisions and sense of belonging.