Inspired by true events, David Wagner’s acclaimed drama EISMAYER tells the story of a secretly gay military officer whose tough façade conceals a clandestine double life. Sergeant Major Charles Eismayer (Gerhard Liebmann) is known and feared as the toughest training officer in the Austrian Armed Forces, ruthless with recruits and unwavering in his discipline, order and machismo. But when he unexpectedly starts to fall in love with Falak, a recruit who unashamedly embraces his homosexuality, Eismayer’s closeted existence is shaken to the core as he is forced to reconcile his fiercely masculine identity with desire for another man.
Extras include: behind the scenes documentary with interviews
View the Eismayer trailer here:
Language: German | Country: Germany | Subtitles: English | Soundtrack: Dolby Digital 5.1 | 2022 | 87 mins approx.
Background Information: In 2014, David Wagner stumbled across an article about Eismayer in an Austrian newspaper and is immediately captivated by the story: the most terrifying training officer in the Austrian Armed Forces falls in love with a recruit, eventually accepting his proposal and marrying him in full dress uniform in the barracks courtyard. At the time, Wagner was studying directing at the Hamburg Media School. As part of his course, he turned the story into a screenplay for a feature film. “My professor went a little crazy because he thought the story was so good,” Wagner recalled in an interview. Eight years later, Eismayer is finally coming to cinemas. Some viewers may find themselves sitting up straighter in their seats when Gerhard Liebmann slips into the character of the authoritative sergeant major and yells his orders from the screen. “A story like this has never been captured on film in Austria, and it is high time that this changes. Not just because Eismayer is a legend among those who went through basic training here, but also because this story tears down our preconceptions and assumptions about masculinity and strength, then rebuilds them in a new way,” explain the producers Arash T. Riahi and Sabine Gruber. Eismayer is a powerful, important addition to Austrian cinema.
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