© Transit Filmfest Regensburg / camera photo / other
The Transit Film Festival opens the poison cupboard and looks back at films that were far ahead of their time. In keeping with the city of Regensburg’s annual cultural theme “Katzenjammer”, the historical section has the motto “The idea is good, but the world is not yet ready”. Another highlight is the three-part showcase by director Monika Treut.
The Transit Film Festival 2024 is opening its doors again. Eleven works are shown that were often misunderstood, censored or banned when they were published, but that had a lasting impact on new aesthetic and political schools of thought. Another highlight is the three-part showcase by director Monika Treut, who will come to Regensburg in person. The Nuremberg Glisten Collective will also provide musical accompaniment to queer avant-garde film classics from the 1940s, 50s and 60s live in the cinema.
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Historical section from eleven groundbreaking “scandal films”
The eleven films in the retrospective include Tod Browning’s FREAKS (1932). The circus drama shocked its contemporary audience because of its cast of real people with disabilities, but is now read as a plea for solidarity among the marginalized. Georges Franju put the French Nouvelle Vague to the test and paved the way for the body horror genre with EYES WITHOUT A FACE (1960). Sarah Maldoror’s SAMBIZANGA (1972), the first African feature film by a woman, tells of the anti-colonial struggle in Angola and was perceived as a threat by those in power at the time due to its political message. With the radical combination of eroticism and the traumas of the Nazi era, Liliana Cavani asserted her unconditional desire for artistic freedom in THE NIGHT PORTER (1974). The final point of the retrospective is THE DOOM GENERATION (1995). The Transit Filmfest shows Gregg Araki’s iconic contribution to the New Queer Cinema movement, freshly restored and in a 13-minute longer director’s cut. Other films in the retrospective include Věra Chytilová’s A THOUSAND BEAUTIES (1966), Rosa von Praunheim’s NOT THE HOMOSEXUAL IS PERVERT, BUT THE SITUATION IN WHICH HE LIVES (1971), John Waters’ FEMALE TROUBLE (1974) and Chantal Akerman’s JEANNE DIELMAN (1975).
Pleasantly subversive exhibition honors Monika Treut
As part of the retrospective, the film festival is dedicating a three-part retrospective to Monika Treut. The intrepid director is considered a driving force behind New Queer Cinema. Her debut film SEDUCTION – THE CRUEL WOMAN (1985) about a mysterious dominatrix outraged both conservative and feminist circles. Her second feature film THE JUNGFRAUENMASCHINE (1988), a humorous examination of female desire, also caused a stir at the German premiere. In her adopted home of the USA, however, her work was recognized early on. Her best-known documentary GENDERNAUTS (1999), a portrait of non-binary artists from San Francisco, is considered one of the first films about the trans movement and takes an early look at the broad spectrum between the poles of masculinity and femininity. Monika Treut will be personally present at all screenings and will answer questions afterwards.
© Transit Filmfest Regensburg
Queer avant-garde film classics set to music live in the cinema
Kenneth Anger’s FIREWORKS (1947), Jean Genet’s UN CHANT D’AMOUR (1950) and Jack Smith’s FLAMING CREATURES (1963) shaped the aesthetics and spirit of underground culture from the 1940s to 1960s and had a lasting influence on later generations of queer artists. The Nuremberg Glisten Collective around the electronic and experimental musicians SUV, Awkward Mud and Alexan’dru Șalariu sets the three queer avant-garde film classics to music live in the Andreasstadel cinema.
Transit Filmfest Regensburg / RNRed
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Image source: Camera photo / other | Transit Film Festival Regensburg
