Description
Interior. Leather Bar.
Hosted by Pierre Emö
When William Friedkin’s film Cruising was screened in competition at the Berlinale in 1980 it unleashed a wave of controversy – and not just at the festival. Gay activists accused the film, in which Al Pacino plays an undercover cop investigating a case in New York’s gay S&M and leather scene, of stirring up homophobic stereotypes. Moreover, forty minutes of allegedly overly explicit scenes were deleted in order to secure a less restricted rating for the film’s release. Oscar-nominated actor James Franco and Travis Mathews have made it their mission to restage this missing and by now legendary forty minutes.
The film constitutes the making of one scene shot in a New York leather and S&M bar before the onslaught of Aids and focuses on Val, who plays Al Pacino’s role. Heterosexual Hollywood actor Val has strong reservations about appearing in a gay film. Skirting the border between reality and fiction, Interior. Leather Bar. explores Hollywood’s homophobic mechanisms and examines prevalent clichés.
This workshop takes place as part of the exhibition at Instinct Berlin. More information: https://www.instinct.berlin/
Pierre Emö, Originally from France, Pierre Emö currently lives in Berlin, where he explores the possibilities of film, theatre, performance and modeling. His cinema appearances include Yann Gonzalez in KNIFE + HEART, Bruce La Bruce in IT IS NOT THE PORNOGRAPHER THAT IS PERVERSE… and most recently in Henrika Kull’s film BLISS. On stage he performed with the group Nilsson Eicke in DECAMERON and THE VALKYRIE. It was part of the exhibition WINDOW TO THE KLO: PUBLIC TOILETS & PRIVATE AFFAIRS by Marc Martin in the Gay Museum in Berlin. He is currently touring with Matthieu Hocquemiller’s performance THE ETHICS. He is also part of the Pornceptual collective and a member of the curatorial team surrounding Instinct.
Important information
Language: The event will be held in English.
Cost: The event is open to everyone and free of charge.
