Inventing Queer Cinema

Queeres Kino erzählt von den Geschichten, Erfahrungen und Lebensrealitäten queerer Menschen – meist abseits normativer Erwartungen und gesellschaftlicher Ordnungen.

• 

  Orlando, meine politische Biografie, F 2023, paul B. Preciado

• 

  ›Taxi zum Klo‹ BRD 1980, Regie: Frank Ripploh – Filmstill

• 

  ›Rafiki‹ Kenia 2018, Regie: Wanuri Kahiu – Filmstill

• 

  ›Coming out‹ DDR 1989, Regie: Heiner Carow – Filmstill

Queer cinema tells the stories, experiences and realities of life of queer people - usually outside of normative expectations and social orders. In doing so, it often questions cinematic conventions and develops its own resistant formal languages.

The exhibition focuses on films and film workers: Filmmakers, festival organizers, cinema operators and film distributors who have shaped and repeatedly reinvented queer cinema in Germany since the 1970s. One focus is on Berlin as a center of queer film and subculture, expanded by perspectives from international artists. On display are film and photo installations, objects, documents and other archive materials - including, for the first time, holdings from the Salzgeber film distribution archive. A prologue with early examples from the 1910s from the collection of the Deutsche Kinemathek sets the historical framework. Separate stations focus on the role of television. The exhibition takes place in the hall, the Schaltwerk and the studio cinema. An extensive film series and events accompany the program.

"Inventing Queer Cinema" tells a story of resistance, solidarity and innovation that reaches right up to the present day. The exhibition invites visitors to continue thinking about this history and to rediscover queer cinema time and time again.

Translated with DeepL

Runtime: Thu, 07/05/2026 to Sun, 13/09/2026

Takes place here:

• Deutsche Kinemathek