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Audre Lorde: The Berlin Years 1984 to 1992

Country: Germany, Language: English, 84 mins

Lesbian | New Queer Cinema: The Director's Cut | Documentary | 2012

Director: Dagmar Schultz
Writer: Dagmar Schultz
Producer: Dagmar Schultz

CGiii Comment

This neither an appraisal nor a critique of Lorde's work.

This is an affectionate memory of a rather marvellous woman.

In truth, she deserves better than this piecemeal, archival montage...no doubt, lovingly put together by Schultz and that's where the problem lies - a little too close to the subject - you get the distinct feeling that it was made by herself...for herself.

A wasted opportunity - it could have/should have been a film that introduced an important writer to a new audience.

Instead, it's a memento. But...as a memory...it exudes charm.

Trailer...

The(ir) Blurb...

Audre Lorde, the highly influential, award-winning African-American lesbian poet came to live in West-Berlin in the 80s and early '90s. She was the mentor and catalyst who helped ignite the Afro-German movement while she challenged white women to acknowledge and constructively use their privileges. With her active support a whole generation of writers and poets for the first time gave voice to their unique experience as people of color in Germany. This documentary contains previously unreleased audiovisual material from director Dagmar Schultz's archives including stunning images of Audre Lorde off stage. With testimony from Lorde's colleagues and friends the film documents Lorde's lasting legacy in Germany and the impact of her work and personality.