DER PAPST IST KEIN JEANSBOY

Between “funeral pyre” and total work of art. Seldom does one see on screen at the end of their career such a contradictory artist as the Austrian actor, columnist, author, presenter and gay sadomasochist, Hermes Phettberg. Trapped in an ailing body after three strokes and a heart attack, he still possesses an amazing mental agility. With formal flair the film illustrates the protagonist’s contrary nature. Phettberg’s reflections on life are read by Josef Hader and juxtaposed with slogans in public toilets. Black and white images document the body’s physical deterioration. A filmic dialogue between life and death. Anja Klauck