Film Restored – Opening – ‘Anita – Dances of Vice’

‘Anita – Dances of Vice’, FRG 1987, D: Rosa von Praunheim, 89 min

Welcome adress: Rainer Rother (Artistic director, Deutsche Kinemathek), in the presence of the director of Rosa von Praunheim

In 1920s Berlin, nude dancer Anita Berber caused a stir with her unconventional and uncompromising presence. In retrospect, she was the quintessence of a wild era, marked by war, inflation, sexual liberation and intoxication. Rosa von Praunheim frames his homage to this radical actress through the story of an old woman confined to a psychiatric ward. The patient, played by Lotti Huber, believes she is Anita Berber. Her fantasies draw on the imagery of expressionist silent films, presented in strong visual language by camerawoman Elfi Mikesch.

‘Anita – Dances of Vice’ was digitised and restored in 2K resolution in 2023 on behalf of the Deutsche Kinemathek at Cinegrell Postfactory GmbH, Berlin. The source material was a 35mm duplicate positive for the colour scenes and a 16mm blow-up duplicate positive for the black and white scenes. The soundtrack was taken from the 16mm ZDF broadcast. Digitisation was made possible thanks to the Film Heritage Subsidy Programme (FFE).

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