GR-C004-1989

Coming Out

Video

VHS

German

No

Available

"Philipp, a closeted teacher, is dating a female colleague to keep up appearances. One night by `accident` he stumbles into a gay bar, meets and promptly falls in love with a young man. Transformed by this love he is no longer afraid to face up to who he is. (Review): The first significant gay movie from East Germany opened on a historic night last fall (1989). Given its controversial subject and difficult production history, ""Coming Out"" was expected to excite its first night crowd in East Berlin; nevertheless, director Heiner Carow hadn`t anticipated what happened next. The applause and party atmosphere continued out on the streets after the screening, where people were already shouting and celebrating. ""Coming Out`s"" premiere had coincided with the night the Berlin Wall came down. Even without this profound political backdrop, Carow`s tale of socialist sexuality would seem extraordinary. Produced by the state studio DEFA (which kept a discreet distance from the project), and cloaked by the inevitable which-actor`s-queer? curiosity, ""Coming Out"" clearly had a struggle just to see it to the screen. It`s a classic story--a sort of Marxist, modern-day Maurice. Schoolteacher Philipp finds himself distracted from his colorless romance with colleague Tanja by the attention of a teen he meets in a concert ticket line. Haunted by memories of his schooldays` desire for gay pal Jakob--and his parents` plea to stay on the straight and narrow--Philipp becomes torn between his two lovers, and risks losing both. Philipp`s predicament propels him into the city`s gay scene. Heiner Carow shot ""Coming Out"" largely at real East Berlin bars and back alleys; outside of the Super-8segments in Wieland Speck`s Westler, this is a first and last look at gay locations and gay life before the Wall fell. Even separated from its historic circumstances, educational ambition, and fascinating cultural tourism, ""Coming Out"" stands as a moving and passionate story, honestly told. " Notes: "The first and only DEFA feature film about homosexuality, ""Coming Out"" premiered on 9 November 1989, the evening the Berlin Wall fell. Awarded the Silver Bear at the 1990 Berlin Film Festival.". Director: Heiner Carow. Actors: "Matthias Freihof, Dirk Kummer, Michael Gweisdek" . Color. Country: East Germany. No Subtitles.