This Saturday, November 22, 2008 ComingOutCinema has shown a movie by a German director, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, The Bitter tears of Petra von Kant (Die bitteren Tränen der Petra von Kant) Germany, 1972. After the viewing, there was a public discussion  on an issue of “internal homophobia”.

Note: the term of internal (internalized) homophobia describes a psychological phenomenon, when a homosexual person has a negative feelings about his or her own sexual orientation. This may be manifested in a wide range of  signs, from being prone to viewing oneself as a defective person to detesting one own self and self-destructive behavior. The failure to accept own sexuality is most often expressed along with other psychological phenomena.

The Bitter tears of Petra von Kant is one of the early, yet already mature and fine psychological masterpieces of Fassbinder, it is the classical Fassbinder feature and the classics of the german cinematography in general.  It is the movie which brought him an enormous world acclaim. Beautiful, refined, this movie was shot in 10 days: there is only one interior, and six actresses actin a drama for two hours.

Highly acclaimed and famous fashion designer Petra von Kant lives with her silent and obedient maid. She works a lot (we don’t see it, but sense it) lies, and wears wigs. Her sister pays a visit, and we witness a philosophical monologue of the relationship of two people, equality, understanding and freedom. Then enters Karin, and starts another story of love of a woman for woman, breaking ideals and destroying stereotypes. All this happens on the backdrop of 17th century painting, mannequins, dresses and Art Deco.
This is a non-trivial film in classical Fassbinder esthetics speaking of solitude, decadence of relationship, the possessiveness, and love at the times of a moral crisis in german society.

After the show, there was a discussion on “internal homophobia”. The discussion moderator was a member of Vykhod, Gulya Sultanova, with invited speakers, the graduate student of the social psychology department St. Petersburg Institute of Psychology and Social Work, a psychologist consultant, Olga Pozdnysheva and Polina Savchenko, LGBT activist. Together with the audience, they have tried to answer the question of what homophobia is, whether is exists in an internalized form, what is the nature of non acceptance of own sexuality and the methods of overcoming such a crisis, and why many LGBT people in Russia fee alienated from LGBT community or trying to avoid any contacts with it.

There was an intense discussion after the film; it was evident that the topic is of great interest for many. Also, we would like to note, that with each next show, the audience becomes more vocal, expressing views and stating opinions.

The organizers thank the round table guests for their participation in the discussion, as well as all members of the audience, and specifically, those who actively participated in the after-film discussion.

We will see you at the next movie show, on saturday, November 29 at 6 PM!

By Petr Voskresenski