Angelo Madsen’s A Body to Live In is a doc as unconventional in form as its leading man. Comprised of various formats overlaid with underground voices (Annie Sprinkle and Ron Athey are probably the best known), the film takes us on a winding journey through the life and philosophy of photographer-performance artist-ritualist Fakir Musafar, one of the founders of the modern primitive movement. With the archival Musafar (born Roland Loomis in 1930) as our guide we’re introduced to an unheralded slice of LGBTQ+ history that includes gay Bdsm parties, the first piercing shop, body modification as […]
The post “Maybe an Individual is Only as Interesting as the Energy Surrounding Them”: Angelo Madsen on His True/False-debuting A Body to Live In first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “Maybe an Individual is Only as Interesting as the Energy Surrounding Them”: Angelo Madsen on His True/False-debuting A Body to Live In first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 2/27/2025
- by Lauren Wissot
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Angelo Madsen’s A Body to Live In is a doc as unconventional in form as its leading man. Comprised of various formats overlaid with underground voices (Annie Sprinkle and Ron Athey are probably the best known), the film takes us on a winding journey through the life and philosophy of photographer-performance artist-ritualist Fakir Musafar, one of the founders of the modern primitive movement. With the archival Musafar (born Roland Loomis in 1930) as our guide we’re introduced to an unheralded slice of LGBTQ+ history that includes gay Bdsm parties, the first piercing shop, body modification as […]
The post “Maybe an Individual is Only as Interesting as the Energy Surrounding Them”: Angelo Madsen on His True/False-debuting A Body to Live In first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “Maybe an Individual is Only as Interesting as the Energy Surrounding Them”: Angelo Madsen on His True/False-debuting A Body to Live In first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 2/27/2025
- by Lauren Wissot
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
The 22nd edition of the True/False Film Fest, kicking off Feb. 27, will feature a lineup of 30 feature documentaries and 24 short docs. The Columbia, Missouri-based four-day doc film festival will showcase eight Sundance 2025 films, including U.S. documentary prize winner “Seeds,” “Predators,” and “The Dating Game.”
The fest’s lineup includes seven world premieres, one international premiere, and three North American premieres. Fourteen of the True/False feature docus were made by first-time feature directors.
“This year’s films run the gamut when it comes to form, tone, and perspective, but the thing that unites them is their unwavering commitments to their artistic visions,” said True/False artistic director Chloé Trayner. “The lineup is a kaleidoscope of reflections on our modern world, embracing past, present, and future in beautiful, devastating, and hopeful ways. We can’t wait to share these films with our audience soon.”
Since launching in 2004, True/False...
The fest’s lineup includes seven world premieres, one international premiere, and three North American premieres. Fourteen of the True/False feature docus were made by first-time feature directors.
“This year’s films run the gamut when it comes to form, tone, and perspective, but the thing that unites them is their unwavering commitments to their artistic visions,” said True/False artistic director Chloé Trayner. “The lineup is a kaleidoscope of reflections on our modern world, embracing past, present, and future in beautiful, devastating, and hopeful ways. We can’t wait to share these films with our audience soon.”
Since launching in 2004, True/False...
- 2/5/2025
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
'My Father Is Coming'
NEW YORK -- ''My Father Is Coming'' is nothing to get too excited about. It is an off-beat attempt to make an off-beat film, but it tries so hard to get off the beaten path that it goes nowhere.
German filmmaker Monika Treut's questionable homage to New York City, particularly the East Village, is fun in parts, slow in others and ambiguous overall.
Still, its forced hipness and the fact that it's a ''different'' kind of film may appeal to the art-house crowd. The inclusion of porn star Annie Sprinkle and her massive mammaries may lure some unsuspecting lustful viewers, though this is no porn flick.
What it is is an outsider's depiction of the downtown Manhattan scene, and a myopic view of the apparently never-ending sexual revolution. If only there were a real story to go along with this . . .
The film revolves around Vicky (Shelley Kastner), an actress and waitress who seems distressed that her father, Hans Alfred Edel), is coming from Germany to pay her a visit. When he does arrive we can see why.
Hans is a stuffy, prudish, opinionated man who criticizes Vicky's entire existence. For this reason Vicky forces her gay roommate, Ben David Bronstein), to pretend to be her husband. (It's not a very convincing performance.)
Accompanying Vicky on one of her auditions, Hans is outraged to discover it is for a porn film. He changes his tune, however, when the film's star Annie Sprinkle) ingratiates herself by going to the bathroom in front of him. A minute later Hans lands himself a job in a commercial, much to Vicky's envy and chagrin.
The rest of the film is a disjointed series of encounters, sexual and otherwise, with a lesbian, a male transsexual, drag queens, a body piercing guru and some unusual people as well.
It's all supposed to be a mind-opening journey for both father and daughter, but someone definitely loses the map along the way.
Sometimes using non-actors gives a film a natural quality, but in this case all it adds is bad acting. Kastner as Vicky, the would-be actress, is the only one who truly passes the audition. Not that there is much call in this film for any real acting, but Kastner is the only credible element to be found. This is her film debut, and she demonstrates a raw sensuality that holds promise for future performances.
''My Father Is Coming'' is not an unpleasant film, except for the unwatchably gross scene with the pierced Fakir Musafar. There are several lines of dialogue and an occasional visual that make us laugh or at least smile. It's just that much of what appears in this film seems to have been randomly placed for no discernible reason. A film doesn't always have to make sense, but if it goes that route then it should at least be distracting enough so you won't mind.
MY FATHER IS COMING
Tara Releasing/Hyena Films
Director-producer Monika Treut
Writers Monika Treut, Bruce Benderson
Cinematographer Elfi Mikesch
Editor Steve Brown
Music David van Tieghem
Color
In English and German, with subtitles
Cast:
Hans Alfred Edel
Vicky Shelley Kastner
Annie Annie Sprinkle
Joe Michael Massee
Lisa Mary Lou Graulau
Ben David Bronstein
Running time -- 82 minutes
No MPAA rating
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
German filmmaker Monika Treut's questionable homage to New York City, particularly the East Village, is fun in parts, slow in others and ambiguous overall.
Still, its forced hipness and the fact that it's a ''different'' kind of film may appeal to the art-house crowd. The inclusion of porn star Annie Sprinkle and her massive mammaries may lure some unsuspecting lustful viewers, though this is no porn flick.
What it is is an outsider's depiction of the downtown Manhattan scene, and a myopic view of the apparently never-ending sexual revolution. If only there were a real story to go along with this . . .
The film revolves around Vicky (Shelley Kastner), an actress and waitress who seems distressed that her father, Hans Alfred Edel), is coming from Germany to pay her a visit. When he does arrive we can see why.
Hans is a stuffy, prudish, opinionated man who criticizes Vicky's entire existence. For this reason Vicky forces her gay roommate, Ben David Bronstein), to pretend to be her husband. (It's not a very convincing performance.)
Accompanying Vicky on one of her auditions, Hans is outraged to discover it is for a porn film. He changes his tune, however, when the film's star Annie Sprinkle) ingratiates herself by going to the bathroom in front of him. A minute later Hans lands himself a job in a commercial, much to Vicky's envy and chagrin.
The rest of the film is a disjointed series of encounters, sexual and otherwise, with a lesbian, a male transsexual, drag queens, a body piercing guru and some unusual people as well.
It's all supposed to be a mind-opening journey for both father and daughter, but someone definitely loses the map along the way.
Sometimes using non-actors gives a film a natural quality, but in this case all it adds is bad acting. Kastner as Vicky, the would-be actress, is the only one who truly passes the audition. Not that there is much call in this film for any real acting, but Kastner is the only credible element to be found. This is her film debut, and she demonstrates a raw sensuality that holds promise for future performances.
''My Father Is Coming'' is not an unpleasant film, except for the unwatchably gross scene with the pierced Fakir Musafar. There are several lines of dialogue and an occasional visual that make us laugh or at least smile. It's just that much of what appears in this film seems to have been randomly placed for no discernible reason. A film doesn't always have to make sense, but if it goes that route then it should at least be distracting enough so you won't mind.
MY FATHER IS COMING
Tara Releasing/Hyena Films
Director-producer Monika Treut
Writers Monika Treut, Bruce Benderson
Cinematographer Elfi Mikesch
Editor Steve Brown
Music David van Tieghem
Color
In English and German, with subtitles
Cast:
Hans Alfred Edel
Vicky Shelley Kastner
Annie Annie Sprinkle
Joe Michael Massee
Lisa Mary Lou Graulau
Ben David Bronstein
Running time -- 82 minutes
No MPAA rating
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
- 11/25/1992
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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