About this Event
Taxi to the Toilet (Taxi zum Klo) (18)
Friday 16 October | 18:30
£6/£4.50* per person
Notorious for being banned by US customs and denied a general release in the UK, Frank Ripploh’s legendary Taxi to the Toilet, a landmark of early queer cinema, screens as part of Kuba Ryniewicz’s season.
Dir. Frank Ripploh W Germany 1981 (18)
35mm transferred to digital video | In German with English subtitles
Frank. a dedicated schoolteacher, embraces the sexual freedoms of the city’s underground scene—navigating a double life in public toilets, cinemas and cruising spots. When Frank (played by director Frank Ripploh himself) meets Bernd, a sweet and steady museum worker, he finds himself torn between the comfort of domestic partnership and the allure of anonymous desire.
‘Released in the UK in 1982, Taxi zum Klo was groundbreaking in its unhysterical depiction of contemporary urban gay life. It was part of an international wave of gay films in the late 70s, the most notable of which, from a British perspective, were Derek Jarman's Sebastiane (1976) and Ron Peck's Nighthawks (1978) … Taxi zum Klo shows a neon-illumined city in motion – seen through the rain-flecked windows of Frank's Karmann Ghia. As he drives, he reflects in voiceover while a minimal electronic soundtrack pulses.’ —Jon Savage, The Guardian
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Doors open 18:00; Film starts 18:30. Pop-up cinema bar open from 18:00 for drinks.
Please note we cannot offer refunds on this event.
*Concessions: under 18s, unwaged & 65+
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Taxi to the Toilet has been selected by exhibiting artist Kuba Ryniewicz, as part of a season of films. View full season here.
Baltic Cinema
A year-round cinema programme, lighting up Baltic’s Level 1 Cinema with the best new and archive films. Bringing otherwise rarely-screened work to the North East, Baltic Cinema also expands on our exhibitions, further exploring the themes they raise.
Baltic Cinema has five strands:
Currents presents new work from across the world
Sources expands on our exhibitions
Selected shows films selected by our artists and partners
Quayside Kino is a monthly screening for families and children
News From Home offers films on and from the North East, for the people who live here
Supported by Film Hub North with National Lottery funding on behalf of the BFI Film Audience Network.
Accessibility
We want our events to be inclusive and accessible. If you have any accessibility requests or questions, please email [email protected]. Ahead of your visit, you can find out about Baltic's facilities and accessibility here.
Event venue & nearby stays
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, South Shore Road, Gateshead, United Kingdom
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