HELMUT BERGER, ACTOR
"As brash, divisive and shocking as its star." – Vox Magazine
Helmut Berger used to be a beloved screen icon. But the one-time muse of Luchino Visconti and star of The Damned and Ludwig is now a shadow of his former self. The abrasive, moody actor has lost his money and his friends, and now lives a secluded existence in Salzberg. He's also not happy about being on camera, lashing out at the filmmaker and refusing to tell his story. Luckily, his cleaning lady is happy to dish on Berger's past in this funny, confronting and deeply unconventional portrait of a man who insists he is one of the world's best actors.
This confronting and funny biography is Grey Gardens by way of Pink Flamingos, described by filmmaker John Waters as "maybe the best motion picture of the year". In a bizarre meeting of filmmaker and subject, Berger develops a strange relationship with director Andreas Horvath, at times attacking him, trying to seduce him and refusing to participate, in a cry for attention. This strange intimacy allows Horvath to capture the reality of faded celebrity, right up to its truly shocking final scene.
Contains sexually explicit material and content that may offend.