Film Screening Rosa von Praunheim: It Is Not the Homosexual Who Is Perverse
Details
Prolific queer fiilmmaker Rosa von Praunheim's influential essay film about gay life in the 1970's West Berlin.
Film Screening of It Is Not the Homosexual Who Is Perverse, But the Society in Which He Lives
Dir. Rosa von Praunheim
Germany, 1971, 67 min.
Digital Format
Daniel, a young man from the provinces, moves to Berlin and navigates gay relationships, subcultures, and everyday survival in a hostile social environment. Blending staged scenes with an assertive voice-over, the film examines how social repression, conformity, and internalized shame shape gay life. It offers a sharp, confrontational portrait of queer existence in early 1970s West Germany.
Rosa von Praunheim (born Holger Mischwitzky, 1942–2025) was a German filmmaker, writer, and one of the most influential gay rights activists in German-speaking Europe. His artist name Rosa refers to the pink triangle (rosa Winkel) that homosexuals were forced to wear in the Nazi concentration camps. A central figure of New German Cinema and queer counterculture, he made more than 150 films over five decades, consistently combining art, provocation, and political activism.
His international and political breakthrough came with the 1971 film IT IS NOT THE HOMOSEXUAL WHO IS PERVERSE, BUT THE SOCIETY IN WHICH HE LIVES. The film caused a nationwide scandal for openly criticizing both oppressive heterosexual norms and what Praunheim saw as the gay community’s internalized shame and political passivity, calling instead for visibility, solidarity, and collective action. The reactions were explosive: television debates, public outrage, and—most importantly—the formation of dozens of new gay activist groups across West Germany and beyond. The film is widely credited with triggering the modern gay liberation movement in Germany and Switzerland and remains a rare example of a film that directly produced lasting social and political change.
Throughout his career, Praunheim remained a fierce advocate for queer visibility, addressing topics such as AIDS, historical repression, gender nonconformity, and aging. His confrontational style made him controversial, but his influence on LGBTQ+ politics, media representation, and queer cinema is unmatched.
Light refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public, but please register in advance and bring a state- or federally-issued photo ID for check-in in our lobby.