Epstein/ Friedman
États-Unis 1999 35min French / German / English o.v. / English s-t.

"An unnatural sex act committed between persons of the male sex or by humans with animals is punishable by imprisonment; the loss of civil rights may also be imposed." Paragraph 175 of the German Penal Code, 1871-1969 Paragraph 175, the graceful documentary by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman (The Life and Times of Harvey Milk, Common Threads, The Celluloid Closet) moves and inspires, to reveal the tragic, untold stories of gay men living under the Nazi regime. Friedman and Epstein use a masterful blend of interviews, archival material, and new footage to weave the stories of lesbian and gay survivors of Nazism into a nightmare-like tapestry of German gay life before, during, and after World War II. The film documents a time in which male homosexuality was considered a contagious disease that corrupted the blood of the German people, and in which just looking at another man could put you in a concentration camp. Heinz Dörmer tells of the nearly ten years he spent in Nazi prisons and camps. Gad Beck had two strikes against him as a gay man classified as "half Jewish." Pierre Seel (featured in Amants des hommes) still seethes with anger against his German persecutors. Albrecht Becker tells of his time in prison, then admits that he joined the German army following his release because "that's where all the men were!" An important document to the travesties of World War II, Paragraph 175 is informative, moving and essential viewing.

Shown on:

saturday, november 05, 3H00 PM parisien 7 - pgm07 (Paragraph 175)