Before the Last Curtain Falls

The documentary “Before the Last Curtain Falls” creates an intense and warm portrait of six transsexuals and drag queens in their sixties, whose theatre piece became a world success.

Year

2014

Length

90 min

Director

Thomas Wallner

The documentary “Before the Last Curtain Falls” tells the heart-warming and extraordinary stories of a group of transsexuals and drag queens. Aged around 60 they have experienced the highs and lows of life: They have worked as artists and prostitutes, gone through sex changes, they’ve been cast out and passionately loved. Finally, they have found the courage to once again perform for a world audience, with their glamorous show “Gardenia” directed by Alain Platel and Frank van Laecke. For two years, they have been touring all five continents. Now, they return to their quiet lives.

Credits

Written and directed by
Thomas Wallner

Based on the play „Gardenia“ by
Vanessa Van Durme (Concept)
Alain Platel & Frank Van Laecke (Director)

Editing and Dramatic Structure
Manfred Becker

Director of Photography
Axel Schneppat

Sound Engineer
Henk Rabau

Producer
Christian Beetz

Coproducer
Bart Van Langendonck

Supervising Producer
Kerstin Meyer-Beetz

Commissioning editors
Wolfgang Bergmann (ZDF/arte)
Marc Coenen (Canvas)
Reinhilde Weyns (Canvas)
Ingrid Lanckmans (Canvas)

Sales & distribution

Trailer

„Just in diesem Moment überraschen uns die aus dem Theaterbereich stammenden jungen Regisseure Hans Block und Moritz Riesewieck mit einem erstaunlichen Dokumentarfilm, der seit Monaten Publikum und Kritik auf den wichtigsten Festivals der Welt elektrisiert. Völlig zu Recht: Es ist, als würden einem die Scheuklappen weggerissen, als sähe man das, was sich seit Jahren direkt vor unseren Augen abspielt, zum ersten Mal unverschleiert... eine fesselnde ,Doku noir' mit höchstem Anspruch...Dieser Film müsste an allen Schulen gezeigt werden.“

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

17.05.2018