Andreas grew up in World War II as a member of the German-speaking minority in Northern Italy. After the war he moved with his family to Austria. Coming from a poor peasant family, he was given a chance to study in a strict boarding school in Switzer¡land. The intelligent Andreas yearned for knowledge but soon discovered that the devout teachers denied him some facts of life.Das Glück beim Händewaschen is based on the autobiography of Joseph Zoderer, who co-wrote the script. After a screening on television, the film was shown at several festivals and in 1983 Masten won the Max Ophüls Prize in Saarbrücken for film-makers making their début.
