Austria 2022, 100 min, German, Hebrew & English subtitles

120 years after it was published, Josefine Mutzenbacher’s erotic memoir still evokes a lot of embarrassment and discomfort, perhaps even more so now than when it was written. Director Ruth Beckermann invited men aged 16 to 99 to audition for her by reading excerpts from the infamous pornographic text (attributed to the author of Bambi!) in front of a camera. Hundreds of men answered the casting call. Not all of them felt comfortable sitting on the velvet couch and reading from a book that had been banned for years. They squirm, falter, apologize. Others enthusiastically show their theatrical ability, confess to sexual fantasies, or share childhood memories. Their amusing-but-sticky conversations with the filmmaker and among themselves paint a multilayered, multigenerational portrait of male sexuality.

Previous Festivals: Berlinale, CPH:DOX, Cinema Du Reel

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Screening Schedule:
  • Sun 29.05 | 16:30 | Cinematheque 1 | Filmmaker Present
  • Mon 30.05 | 20:45 | Cinematheque 4 | Filmmaker Present
  • Watch Online | The film will be available From May 26th until June 5th

Ruth Beckermann is a filmmaker and author based in Vienna. Her films include The Paper Bridge, East of War and American Passages. In 2014 her film Those Who Go Those Who Stay received the big documentary film prize at the Diagonale in Graz. Two years later The Dreamed Ones was also honored there as best feature film. The Waldheim Waltz received several awards, including the Glashütte Original – Documentary Award for best documentary film at the Berlinale 2018, as well as an Oscar nomination. In 2019 Ruth Beckermann created the installation Joyful Joyce for the Salzburg Festival.

Production: Ruth Beckermann Filmproduktion
Script: Ruth Beckermann, Claus Philipp
Editing: Dieter Pichler
Cinematography: Johannes Hammel
Sound Design: Andreas Hamza

Supporters & Broadcasters: Austrian Cultural Forum

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