Marie Luise Lehner is an Austrian author and filmmaker whose work centres feminist, class-conscious and queer perspectives. With a background in language arts, screenwriting and directing, she crafts stories that delve into power, care and identity—often through the lens of young women. Her award-winning novels and internationally recognised short films demonstrate a deep commitment to subjective storytelling and social critique. Lehner’s feature debut, When You’re Afraid, You Put Your Heart in Your Mouth and Smile, explores class and girlhood with poetic realism. She also works as an intimacy coordinator and plays in the feminist punk band Schapka, expanding her practice across disciplines.