The Fassbinder Story (2015) Kino 2016

Portrait of Rainer Werner Fassbinder as told by the people who knew him from the time he was in theater school until his death at 37. Its a film that is firmly focused on the man and his life and because the stories are being told by the people who were there we have ended up with a fascinating portrait of the man, his art and his life.

The film is a marvelous collection of interviews, outtakes and film clips that really portray the Fassbinder as a hypnotic character. You completely understand why people followed him and continued to work with him again and again. Its a film that kind of strips away some of the mythic sheen he's developed over the years to reveal a hard charging artist who was always striving to create. Its the sort of film that makes you wish you could take a time machine back and hang out with him.

A word of warning: if you're looking for another film that is going to  reveal the deeper meanings of all of Fassbinder's films this isn't it. Yes the film deals with the films but more from the personal side, meaning that we see his reaction to some of them, how he got them made and how is stock company came together. We also end up with a really good idea how he was able to turn out 44 films in 18 years

One of the best of the recent films on Fassbinder and an absolute must see for any one with any familiarity with the man and his films.

For more information and tickets on the screenings  Friday and Saturday go here.