Narcissism: The Auto-Erotic Images
- Friday, Apr 21, 2023, 9:30pm
BEST OF SECS FEST! 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 socialization? 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!
“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.” Jay Bernard, BFI Flare Film Festival, London