Days of twilight, nights of frenzy

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Werner Schroeter was a prominent figure in New German Cinema, creating over forty films from 1967 to 2008 that defied conventional narrative through dense, evocative collages of image and sound. While overshadowed by contemporaries like Wim Wenders and Rainer Werner Fassbinder, his work has gained recognition through recent retrospectives, including one at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In his memoir, written in the final years of his life, Schroeter reflects on his experiences with the assistance of film critic Claudia Lenssen. Born in 1945 near Heidelberg, he briefly attended film school before embarking on his creative journey. Throughout his career, he collaborated with notable artists such as Marianne Hopps, Isabelle Huppert, and Candy Darling. In the 1970s, he also pursued parallel careers in theatre and opera, notably working with the legendary Maria Callas. Schroeter shares insights into his childhood, travels in Italy, France, and Latin America, his coming out as a gay man in Europe, and encounters with Hollywood. This sharp, lively memoir captures his extravagant life and prolific career, preserving stories that might have otherwise been forgotten.