The anti-psychiatric Socialist Patients’ Collective (SPK) was founded in Heidelberg in 1970 and attributed individual suffering to society’s capitalist structures. It began as a self-organised experiment in group therapy led by doctor Wolfgang Huber with psychiatric patients, featuring Hegel readings and individual agitation, before subsequently radicalising, which ended in criminal proceedings against its members, some of whom went underground with the Red Army Faction. This film examines a little known chapter in West German history in impressive, unpretentious fashion. A precise picture of the social climate leading up to the German Autumn emerges from painstakingly researched documents, such as records from the interior ministry and the university, press photos and TV reports, trips to Stammheim prison and to Italy, as well as from conversations with former SPK – sometimes RAF – members, lawyers and state police. The skilled interview techniques produce genuine encounters with those in front of the camera, as they look back on their lives and the SPK and dig out old papers, the question of their resistance hanging in the air – all different layers of Kroske’s historiography.

Festivals

• 68. Berlinale Forum 2018 – world premiere
  
• Dok.Fest München 2018
• Hamburger Dokumentarfilmwoche 2018
• Neisse Festival 2018
• SWR Doku Festvial 2018
• 12. Filmfest Wismar 2018
• Perugia Social Filmfestival (Opening Film)
• “Rendevouz with Madness” Festival Toronto 2018
• 42. Duisburger Filmwoche 2018
• #Cineeuropa 32
• 12. Cinema Verité Teheran / Iran 2018
• globaLE Leipzig 2019
• and many others

Awards

• „Clara Sereni Award, best psychiatry theme documentary“ PerSo Film Festival 2018

Husein lebt als Frisör in Istanbul, Mahmoud arbeitet als LGTB-Aktivist in Berlin. Beide sind schwul und aus Syrien entflohen, aber ein besonderer Traum bringt sie zusammen: Als Moslems wollen sie erstmalig am Wettbewerb ‚Mr. Gay World‘ teilnehmen, um ein internationales Zeichen für Homosexualität im Islam zu setzen. Entstanden ist daraus eine eindrückliche Geschichte über Liebe und Homophobie in der westlichen und muslimischen Welt. Die türkische Filmemacherin Ayse Toprak hat mit MR GAY SYRIA einen hochaktuellen Film geschaffen über den Mut, die Beständigkeit und den Humor ihrer Protagonisten und wurde dafür auf über 70 Festivals mit internationalen Preisen ausgezeichnet:

Preise

2018 Festival Mix Milano | Best Documentary
2018 IFEMA Film Festival | Audience Award
2018 Boston’s Wicked Queer FF | Best Documentary Jury Award
2018 Roze Filmdage Amsterdam | Best Documentary
2018 Zinegoak FF | Diversity and Human Rights Award
2017 Verzio IHRDFF | Special Mention for Human Rights Film
2017 Chéries Chéris Paris | Grand Prix
2017 Tirana IFF | Best European Documentary
2017 Sevilla FF | Ocana Award to Freedom
2017 Chicago IFF | Silver Hugo
2017 Sarajevo FF | Human Rights Award
2017 Lovers Film Festival Turin | Special Jury Mention