25.05.2024 – FLUT Magazin presents: Screening of the NARCISSISM docu (OV with DE and EN subtitles) at Lichtblick Kino Berlin – with Toni Karat
NARCISSISM – The Auto-Erotic Images.
Photo book and documentary feature about gender, narcissism and self-love
Part 1 of the project:
The Photo Book
Layout: Igor Sovilj, foreword by Ivan Crozier, review by Manuela Kay. 192 pages with texts and photos of the protagonists (see below). Language: English – *deutsche Übersetzung hier auf der Webseite*
ISBN 978-3-00-073363-5
More info here:
Part 2 of the project:
The Documentary
Out now on Pinklabel.TV!
„An almost philosophical, little masterpiece has been created here: in front of and behind the camera, everyone reflects on themselves relentlessly – and authentically and honestly analyzes their own and others’ projections.”
Manuela Kay (Siegessäule Magazin)
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NARCISSISM – The Auto-Erotic Images. (90′), Germany 2022
Subtitles in English, German, Spanish, Polish and Italian available. French subs, soon!
Latest screenings and news you can find here
Awards/Festivals:
Pornfilmfestival Berlin – World Premiere, Opening Film, Best Documentary Award
Korea Queer Film Festival (KQFF), Seoul (KOR) – Winner (LGBTQ+ Film Of The Year)
Secs Film Fest, Seattle (US) – Opening Film, Best Documentary Award
Porn Film Festival Vienna (AUT) – Best Documentary Award
Hacker Film Festival, Rome (IT) – Best Documentary Award
PFF Barcelona (ESP) – Best Documentary Award
SWR Dokufestival, Stuttgart (DE) (out of competition)
34th Hamburg International Queer Film Festival (HIQFF)
BFI Flare Film Festival, London (UK)
Excentrico Fest, Santiago (CHL), (Closing Film)
Satyrs and Maenads Festival Athens (GR), (Opening Film)
Kansai Queer Film Festival, Kyoto, Osaka (JPN)
San Francisco Porn Film Festival (US)
OSLOerotic, Film & Art Festival, Oslo (NO), Opening Film
FilmPride – Brighton & Hove Pride’s Official Queer Film Festival (UK)
Pink Screens, Brussels (BEL)
Porny Days Filmkunstfestival, Zurich (CH)
Pune International Queer Film Festival, Goethe Institut, Pune (IND)
38th LGBT Film Festival, Ljubljana (SVN)
Leeds Queer Film Festival (UK)
Queer Film Festival Weimar (DE)
POST PxRN Film Festival, Warszaw (PL)
Korea Queer Film Festival, Seoul (KOR)
Queere Filmwoche Leipzig (DE)
Freiburger Lesbenfilmtage (DE)
Porn Film Festival Barcelona (ESP)
Lesbian Feminist Festival, Athens (GR)
Exblicks, Berlin (DE)
Kissable Screens, Filmhuis Cavia, Amsterdam (NL)
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TRAILER
Subtitles in English, German, Spanish, Italian and Polish available
About:
How do we look into the mirror?
Do we allow ourselves a narcissistic or even covetous view?
And how is it influenced by our gender and socialisation:
Are we able to love ourselves and our reflection?
And why do lesbians often have an especially difficult relationship with narcissism?
These are some of the questions Toni Karat is exploring in this project, by capturing each protagonist‘s intimate view in the mirror at an old and untouched attic from 1929 …
A playground and projection screen for border crossers of all shades!
Jay Bernard, BFI Flare Film Festival, London:
We often talk of narcissism in negative terms, due to social media and the prevalence of the spectacle over material reality. But what if there’s more to the story? What if a keen engagement with one’s own image is vital to the survival of sub-cultural or marginal identities? Returning us to the classic myth of Narcissus, who saw himself and fell in love, director Toni Karat presents a different angle on what it means to create and love one’s image as a queer person. Featuring many of the famous faces from Berlin’s radical porn and sex-positive scene, this is a subtle and thoughtful film that interrogates who gets to be visible, who gets to be beautiful and who gets to control their own image.
Credits:
Cinematography, editing, score
Toni Karat
Editing and dramaturgy consultant
Katharina Voß – website
Voice coach
Boris Steinberg – website
Subtitling consultant
Eddy Falconer – website
Interview partners in the film:
Birgit Bosold – Certified investment coach, PhD culture warrior and a white, old, cis-female, sometimes wise and often also grumpy butch.
Del LaGrace Volcano – Artist, Activist, Interventionist – website
Eric Shen – Artist, Performer
Krista Beinstein – Photographer, Artist – website
Kristina Marlen – Sexworker, Sex Educator, Bondage Expert – website
Lexi Dark – Siren, Provocateur, Colonizer – instagram
Maja Buhmann – Writer, Gendernaut
Marit Östberg – Filmmaker
Ruben María – Musician, Manager
Walter Crasshole – Author, Journalist
The photos in the film:
Adam – instagram
Boris Steinberg – Chanson Singer and Lyricist – website, youtube
Carlos Raìz – queer and sex-positive Performer/Filmmaker
Claudia Mattai Del Moro
Dennis Deep – Sexworker – website, Twitter/Instagram: @dennisdeep_de
Eddy Falconer – Artist, Filmmaker – website
Emy Fem – Pornographer and sexpositive Activist, Dyke, Diesel Femme – website
Franko Maria – Artist
Friedrich Kreuz – Writer, Historian, Porn Performer – twitter
Jasko Fide – Porn Performer
Jo Pollux – Erotic Photo-/Videographer – website
Joaquin La Habana Reyes – The Latino Performing Artist – website
Kjell – facebook
Magda Albrecht – Author, Speaker on body norms, Musician – website, instagram
Mahide Lein – Cultural Mediator – website
Morten Bäcker – Media and Social Scientist, Gender and Queer Researcher – instagram
Orlando – Filmmaker, Teacher, Artist
Paulita Pappel – Porn Producer and Director
Pierre Emö – Performer
Romy Alizée – Artist, proud Fem Dyke, Sexworker and Performer – website
Sun Komarova-Koltzer – Singer, Writer
Theo Meow – Filmmaker, Sexworker, Freelance Writer – website
Tollkirsche
All protagonists are also in the accompanying photo book
Additional shoots for the photo book:
Anastasia Biefang – Activist and Columnist, trans*, queer – instagram
Annet CJ
AfroDisiac – Artist – instagram
Eric Le Rouge – Curator – website
RTALIN – Musician and Performer, Antichrist – website
Interview about the NARCISSISM project with Kitty Hawk, ‘SIEGESSÄULE’ Magazin, Berlin
Interview in English click here
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Preview of the NARCISSISM project at the group show inBetween at instinct.berlin:
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Working on the project ‘NARCISSISM – The Auto-Erotic Images.’ has been a long process of constant creative and personal turmoil … – not only for me, the filmmaker.
It‘s a photobook and documentary about narcissism and self-love – and I have to admit that the idea came out of a gut feeling and so I plunged into it without knowing exactly why (as so often).
I especially liked the idea of being a servant to the protagonists, aiming to capture their intimate and genuine view into the mirror. Listening to their stories – about their personal journeys, struggles, desires, fantasies …
Taking myself back as a photographer and interviewer as much as possible. Holding back. Staying in the background. As always.
And it has been overwhelming: Thank you to the awesome participants – I am deeply impressed what you all are willing to share in front of the camera. You also made me realise what my very personal thing is with narcissism and self-love and also that all of a sudden I‘m dealing with issues I didn‘t even know they exist.
Have I been on the wrong track so far? It‘s clear now: I, too, have to come out of the woods in this project and I will. No holding back. Intriguing.
Now that the film is finished, I am truly overwhelmed by the feedback and the great Q&As with the audience. I am very happy that the film seems to be thought-provoking and empowering for so many different people!
More news about my work – like screenings and exhibitions you can find here
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