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7:30 PM
It Is Not the Homosexual Who Is Perverse, But the Society in Which He Lives
Film Screening|Prolific queer filmmaker Rosa von Praunheim's iconic 1971 film
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POST Houston, Houston, TX
- Language German with English subtitles
- Price Free of charge with RSVP
Join Goethe-Institut Houston and our friends at Big Queer Picture Show for Retrospective Series of three of Rosa von Praunheim's most iconic films. On April 29th we screen von Praunheim's 1971 classic It Is Not the Homosexual Who Is Perverse, But the Society in Which He Lives in Skylawn Room on the roof of POST.
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 as it openly criticized 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.
Run time: 1 hr 7 min.
Language: German with English subtitles
Rating (Germany): 12 years and up (nudity and sexual content)
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 as it openly criticized 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.
About the Film
A harsh but deeply sympathetic sociological essay film about gay life in West Berlin in a time of secrecy and oppression, with narration voiceover instead of original sound. 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.Run time: 1 hr 7 min.
Language: German with English subtitles
Rating (Germany): 12 years and up (nudity and sexual content)
