RETROSPECTIVE • ROSA VON PRAUNHEIM

MixBrasil and the Goethe-Institut present a retrospective in São Paulo featuring seven feature-length films by German filmmaker and writer Rosa von Praunheim – an icon of queer cinema and one of the most influential voices in LGBTQIA+ activism within the arts. The retrospective includes both fiction films and documentaries, spanning a vast period of the filmmaker’s career, from 1970 to 2015.

An actor, director, screenwriter, cinematographer, producer, editor, writer, and activist, Rosa von Praunheim was born Holger Mischwitsky in 1942 in Latvia, during the German occupation. His stage name is derived from the pink triangle used to identify homosexuals in Nazi concentration camps, combined with “Praunheim”, the Frankfurt neighborhood where he grew up.

“Get out of the restrooms and onto the streets!” – this message from his best-known film, “It Is Not the Homosexual Who Is Perverse, But the Situation in Which He Lives”, urges gay people to move beyond political passivity within a homophobic society. A provocateur, Rosa fought not only for sexual freedom among gay men and lesbians but also for their political engagement and solidarity as citizens.

Having created over 150 films, Rosa built a body of work defined by an autobiographical presence and a deep commitment to political and social issues. His cinematic language blends formal boldness and acerbic humor with a challenge to established norms. Viewing cinema as a tool for social transformation, he used his films to confront taboos, question conventions, and reflect on the interplay between sexuality, individual autonomy, and social structures. His work has inspired generations of filmmakers, activists, and audiences to examine issues of gender and sexuality with both boldness and political urgency.