Michael Smulik

Michael Smulik was born in Port-Elizabeth, South-Africa. At the age of 21 he moved to Vienna to study drama at the Vienna Conservatory. Since acquiring his diploma, he has worked extensively as an actor, musician, writer and director in Austria and other European countries. In 2004 the production of George Tabori's "Mein Kampf", a political farce highlighting Hitler's early years as a struggling painter in Vienna, in which Michael portrayed Hitler, won the coveted Nestroy Prize (Austrian National Theatre Prize) for best OFF production. He is a member of the Improv Theater group "English Lovers", six times winners of the Austrian Theatre Sport Championships. As a musician, he is a founding member and guitarist/songwriter of the notorious SchlagerPunk band "Christian & Michael und die emotionale Rock- & Showband", winners of the Villacher Wort-Werk prize, "Die Lange Nacht der schlechten Texte". In March 2013 "Ein kleiner Augenblick des Glücks" (A Brief Moment of Joy),a film in which he played the lead, won the Achtung Berlin best short film award. The film was also nominated for the the German Short Film Prize. In November 2013 a further theatre project he starred in "Habe die Ehre", by Syrian born Author Ibrahim Amir, was presented with a Nestroy Prize for best OFF production.