Samuel LoveThis deeply personal and beautifully shot drama from Rainer Werner Fassbinder was made in response to the suicide of his lover Armin Meier, and it certainly shows in the the film’s deep sense of tragedy. This is a sad, difficult film but one that is essential and saddeningly timely in its exploration of the transgender experience. Volker Spengler’s performance is utterly magnificent, and this stunning new restoration released as part of StudioCanal’s Vintage World Cinema collection is testament to it, and indeed the rest of this powerful Fassbinder classic. Ripe for reappraisal, In a Year of 13 Moons comes highly recommended with the caveat that it is – by design – entirely depressing.
Synopsis
Made in response to the suicide of Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s lover Armin Meier, IN A YEAR OF 13 MOONS is a story of unrequited love, a tortured past and a heart-wrenching search for acceptance. The film traces the final days in the life of Elvira (Volker Spengler), a transgender woman spurned by her former lover, as she reaches out desperately for understanding. Fassbinder crafts both a searing statement on the universal need for love and an elegant exploration of grief in what is arguably his most personal film.
Special Features
- NEW Fassbinder in Focus: A Conversation between Juliet Jacques and Alex Davidson
- Love And Despair: Werner Schroeter On Fassbinder’s In A Year Of 13 Moons
- The Roots Of The Wounds: Juliane Lorenz On Fassbinder’s In A Year Of 13 Moons
- Introduction by Richard Linklater
- Original German Trailer
IN A YEAR OF 13 MOONS is available now as part of StudioCanal’s Vintage World Cinema collection which showcases iconic world cinema, all fully restored and featuring brand new extra content. The collection includes Fellini’s LA STRADA, Jean-Luc Godard’s BREATHLESS, Luis Buñuel’s BELLE DE JOUR, Michelangelo Antonioni’s L’ECLISSE, Jean-Pierre Melville’s ARMY OF SHADOWS, Ousmane Sembene’s MANDABI and many more.
