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The Goethe-Institut Cyprus and Queer Wave, with the support of STYX Film Encounters are organizing the screening of Coming Out by Heiner Carow on the 36th anniversary of the film’s premiere. Despite the years that have passed since its premiere, its subject matter remains relevant.Within this context a discussion between Diego Aparicio (Queer Wave) and Andreas Karayan will take place. Andreas Karayan, an awarded Cypriot painter and author, was not only an eyewitness of the fall of the Berlin Wall, but he had also interviewed the film director Heiner Carow.
COMING OUT (Heiner Carow / 1989 / East Germany / 113')
Philipp and Tanja, teachers at the same school, begin dating. Tanja falls for Philipp, but Philipp soon uncovers the truth about his sexuality and starts seeing a younger man. Caught between two relationships, Philipp must embark on a journey of self-discovery amid emotional and societal pressures.
The film Coming Out, the only official film about homosexuality to have been produced in the GDR by DEFA, premiered on November 9th, 1989, the very same evening of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Coming Out is a poignant film that explores themes of identity and self-acceptance against the backdrop of a changing societal landscape. The story centers on a teacher who begins to confront his sexuality and the realities of his relationships, as he struggles with personal and societal conflicts. A film with a sensitive portrayal of love and friendship, it shows a personal journey, and a reflection of the struggles faced by members of the LGBTQI+ communities during that time.
Because the premiere of the film coincided with the fall of the Berlin Wall, initially the film received no attention. It later toured festivals around the world and won a Teddy Award and a Silver Bear at the 1990 Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale).
DATE: 9 November 2025 at 5:30p.m.
PLACE: Pantheon, Diagorou 29, Nicosia
LANGUAGE: Original dialogue with English subtitles. Discussions in English.
ADMISSION: Free Admission.
Organised by the Goethe-Institut Zypern and Queer Wave, with the support of STYX Film Encounters.
Photo: © DEFA Stiftung, Wolfgang Fritsche
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Pantheon Theatre, Nicosia, Cyprus
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