Great Freedom is one of the films on the forthcoming European Film Festival in South Africa which goes hybrid for its 9th edition between October 13 and 23, 2022.
Director: Sebastian Meise
Country of Origin:
Austria
Language: German, with
English subtitles
Leads: Franz
Rogowski, Georg Friedrich, Anton Von Lucke, Thomas Prenn
Great
Freedom is
a dark, raw, rough and gritty film, depicting the life of an unashamedly
homosexual man over a period of 25 years, from 1945 to 1969, cleverly
constructed by director Sebastian Meise in a non-linear storyline, using
periods of pitch-black solitary confinement to switch between time periods.
Hans (Franz Rogowski) is taken directly from a concentration camp at the end of World War II and imprisoned for being homosexual under the German Penal Code, Paragraph 175, which was passed into law in 1871 and saw its most brutal enforcement during the Hitler regime. Paragraph 175 remained on the statute books until the late 1960s, when it was finally repealed. Hans is unrepentant about being gay, and accepts the fact that he is going to be imprisoned over and over while homosexuality remains a crime. He clearly accepts the routine, the strip searches, the animosity from guards and other prisoners, in particular the homophobic Viktor (Georg Friedrich), a convicted murderer and cellmate.
The relationship between Hans and Viktor is the basis of the story, which brings to the fore Hans’s humanity and care for his fellow human beings. He gradually breaks down tough guy Viktor’s homophobia over the years of confinement through gentle caring and the goodness of his spirit. He also protects Leo (Anton von Lucke) who was caught by the authorities after a session with Hans in a seedy public toilet, and the luckless Leo, who was in a relationship with Hans during one of his brief stints in civvy street.
The performances by the above-mentioned actors are all solid but sensitive, deftly and inspiringly portraying their individual characters, never going over the top with expression or delivery – all in all, four truly remarkable performances. The camerawork and lighting are also excellent, especially when the confines of the various prison cells must have made for some crowded set situations.
One might well ask that with a prison drama such as this, what is the “great freedom” of the film’s title? Freedom from the oppressive homosexuality laws, freedom to finally know yourself, or freedom to love unconditionally with undying devotion? The decision is yours.
I would thoroughly recommend this utterly compelling drama. Please be warned there are explicit sex scenes. There are also some graphic scenes of violence, drug use and amateur tattooing. – Barry Meehan
For more information, click on the Festival logo to the right of this article or visit www.eurofilmfest.co.za
Posts
