GREAT FREEDOM by Sebastian Meise | IN-PERSON (6/16)
GREAT FREEDOM by Sebastian Meise | IN-PERSON (6/16)
Chicago Filmmakers (map) | Friday, June 16 at 7:00PM CST
Accompanied by the short film JEAN GENET IN CHICAGO by Frédéric Moffet (local filmmaker and former chair of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Department of Film, Video, New Media, and Animation). Frédéric will appear in-person for a post-screening conversation.
In celebration of Pride Month, Chicago Filmmakers announces June’s REELING PRIDE FILM SHOWCASE presented by MUBI. This special showcase of LGBTQ+ cinema brings audiences together ahead of the annual REELING: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival.
Enjoy a series of films that feature queer characters on their journeys of self-discovery, and explore the connections with family, friends, or lovers that define us.
Chicago Filmmakers does not deny admission to those who do not have the ability to make a donation. Please email coop [at] chicagofilmmakers.org to inquire about free admission.
PROGRAM
GREAT FREEDOM (Austria/Germany, 2021)
SYNOPSIS: In post-war Germany, liberation by the Allies does not mean freedom for everyone. Hans is imprisoned again and again under Paragraph 175, a law criminalizing homosexuality. Over the course of decades, he develops an unlikely yet tender bond with his cellmate Viktor, a convicted murderer.
DIRECTOR: Sebastian Meise
PRODUCERS: Sabine Moser, Benny Drechsel, Oliver Neumann
STARRING: Franz Rogowski, Georg Friedrich, Thomas Prenn, Anton von Lucke
COPRESENTED BY: MUBI
Total Run Time: 116 mins
Read more about JEAN GENET IN CHICAGO & GREAT FREEDOM at https://chicagofilmmakers.org/insight
Image: Portrait of Great Freedom director, Sebastian Meise
The exquisite latest film from writer-director Sebastian Meise, Great Freedom paints a stirring portrait of gay resistance and resilience in post-war Germany. Sensual yet arresting, Austria’s official submission to the 2022 Academy Awards turns a humanist eye towards a heartrending past.
Unfolding across three decades, this drama traces the repeated imprisonment of one man under Paragraph 175 — a law criminalizing homosexual activity. After being “liberated” by Allied forces in 1945, Hans is transferred directly from a concentration camp to prison to finish out his sentence. There, he forms an unlikely connection with his cellmate Viktor, a convicted murder. As Hans is jailed again and again, a relationship that begins with revulsion blossoms into something far more tender.
Anchored by a transformative star turn from Franz Rogowski (Transit), Great Freedom weaves together intimate moments across time to form a personal and political epic. In the process, this Cannes prizewinner triumphs as a searing depiction of love in the face of injustice.
Presented by…
Chicago Filmmakers Firehouse Cinema
In-person screenings are held at Chicago Filmmakers’ Firehouse Cinema located at 1326 W. Hollywood Ave in the Edgewater neighborhood. Please be sure to arrive 15 minutes prior to showtime and be ready to present your order confirmation number for admission. Masks are strongly recommended, but not required.
