Transgender artist Tonia moves to New York where she creates an exhibition on the legacy of the German writer Ronald M. Scherkinau, author of so schön (1980) depicting the daily life of four gay men in West-Berlin. Tonia and her new made queer friends live in this hermetically sealed perfect community which they attempt to protect through art, love, sex and political demonstrations. Meanwhile their lives start to show unexplained parallels with Schernkinau’s novel. The film is overlaid with a mosaic of music from Rachika S, who also plays Erika in the film, and a host of female electronic musicians.

Ronald M. Scherkinau (1960 – 1991) was born in Magdeburg and is smuggled to West-Germany by his mother at the age of 6, to reunite with his missing father. On arrival his father turns out to be a Nazi supporter with a second family. In 1980 Scherkinau writes his debut; Kleinstadnovelle, turning him into a prominent figure in West-Berlin’s political queer scene. In 1989 his mentor advises him to move to East-Berlin to improve his writing. He passes away 2 years later from the consequences of AIDS.

Directed by Jessie Jeffrey Dunn Rovinelli, USA/France, 2019, 83 min. In English w/ no subtitles. 

Bar opens @ 17:30
€6
Advance tickets