KATZELMACHER

KATZELMACHER, 1969
Germany | HDD, Black - White, 85’ | German
Director: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Cast: Hanna Schygulla, Lilith Ungerer, Rudolf Waldemar Brem

Played by Fassbinder in the film, the arrival of Greek guest worker Yorgos disrupts the languorous existence of a group of bored, young Germans, leading to bitter conflict. Staged in the manner of Fassbinder’s play, the film’s static images portray a stifling and stagnant milieu and a crippled society. The characters speak a mixture of realism and synthetic phrases, created in a stroke of genius. Both a personal expression of alienation of the filmmaker and a comment on the persistence of xenophobia in German society, this second feature was a milestone in the young filmmaker’s career.

Photo: © Daniel Sonnentag