Ursula Rodel

One of Werner Schroeter's most important and inventive works, this threadbare evocation of Jean Genet's notorious Querelle depicts the erotic adventures of two sailors through the world's seaports in the manner of a cut-rate silent movie.

She was a muse, model and performer – a star, dazzling and intense. Lady Shiva managed to rise from street prostitution to the top. She lived in the fast lane and died tragically young. Her dream was to become a singer. With her companions, we trace her life during a vibrant time that kindles a yearning and provokes until today. The story of a woman’s meteoric fate and a great dream. An irrepressible desire for freedom in all its beauty and destructive force - and a stirring friendship and love.

The past 70 years in Switzerland as told from the perspective of a hidden minority: the history – and personal accounts – of lesbians, their relationships and international networks, their search for an identity and for meeting places. A narrative of their political struggle, masquerades and subculture in this country. Supplemented by well-known footage from films and television, the film portrays five women from different generations, giving us an insight into their lives and allowing us to see life “on the other side” in a different light.