Based on We Children of Bahnhof Zoo, a non-fiction book about the life of Christiane Felscherinow, Christiane F. follows the harrowing journey of a bored, aimless 14-year-old girl who falls into the drug scene in West Berlin during the 1970s.
Shot guerrilla style, much of the production was captured in the actual surroundings of Gropiusstadt and Bahnhof Zoo. The work achieved cult status post its 1981 release due to the appearance of David Bowie across the film. Christiane's favourite singer at the time of the interviews that informed the book, Bowie appears as himself in concert and provides much of soundtrack with tracks from his Berlin Trilogy of albums (Low, Heroes and Lodger) appearing throughout.
With a cast composed mainly of first-time actors to further the authentic quality of the work, the commanding central performance from Natja Brunckhorst holds the narrative together as the character’s map the dangerous spirals of addiction showcasing the darker side of the West Berlin music scene.
WINNER – Most Popular Film, Montréal World Film Festival 1981
"One of the most horrifying movies I have ever seen. That it is based on actual events makes it more heartbreaking."
- Roger Ebert
Tuesday 2nd May
138 min
R18+
David Bowie, Natja Brunckhorst, Thomas Haustein, Jens Kuphal, Rainer Wölk
Uli Edel
Film Festival
German with English subtitles
Palace Barracks, Chauvel Cinema
