Kino immer anders
Berlin in the 1980s: a group of American artists and cabaret performers find themselves sharing an apartment in the heart of the German capital. Among them is Lila, a Southern belle and aspiring Hollywood star; Gary, an occultist who hosts sex therapy sessions in his bedroom; Tara, a self described transvestite who’s always bringing new boys to the apartment; Joaquin, a drag queen convinced to be a worldwide celebrity; Judith, a Jewish acrobat trying to navigate dating in post-war Germany; and her stage partner, Tron, who describes himself as “not gay, straight, bi, nor tri-sexual” but “simply sexual”. They all work part-time at “Hamburger Königin”, a diner owned by Angie Stardust, a legendary but now faded black drag queen.
Part comedy, part musical and part docufiction, City of Lost Souls dives into the lives of this colorful cast, as they navigate the queer punk scene of Berlin in the 1980s. This film stands out as one of the wackiest and most entertaining works by director Rosa von Praunheim. An influential figure in the queer movement, he created with City of Lost Souls a movie that was truly ahead of its time. Released seven years before the legendary documentary Paris Is Burning, this movie was groundbreaking for its discourse around trans experiences and gender identity that still feels current today. Although it received a modest reception upon its release, it has since gained a cult status and became an important testament to Berlin’s queer culture of the era. Revolutionary for its time and unapologetically camp, City of Lost Souls is a wild, explosive and joyful ride that will be impossible to forget.
Deniz Imir
