I Am My Own Woman

The legendary transvestite Charlotte von Mahlsdorf in a combination of a documentary and feature film. Born in 1928 as Lothar Berflede, she grew up during the Nazi era with a violent father. She openly acted as a woman throughout her life. She founded the only private museum in GDR and enabled meetings of the rising gay movement. The director shows her as a warm-hearted person and eternal fighter. Though she was accused of collaboration with the secret police after the making of the film, Praunheim´s portrait proves how important Charlotte was for the continuity of social life across dictatorial regimes.