The chains that women and men must break

Feminism is not a term that enchants any setting with ease. Ironically, although those who are committed to him want to do the opposite, namely to shatter pernicious misconceptions about what is called gender, external assignments as male or female, he triggers them.

Feminists are “excessively loud, strenuous emancipations who want world domination over the hated men” – in these words it can be determined what blocking, irrational upsurges feminism is capable of triggering.

Listen and let them speak
With the documentary “Feminism WTF” (“What the hell is Feminism?”), the Viennese director Katharina Mückstein is bringing a work to the cinema starting tomorrow that, against this background, unfolds a special potential: smoothing out ancient waves, and doing so with attitude, and while still maintaining an impressively factual level.

Mückstein brings together experts from a wide range of disciplines, gives them plenty of space and time to explain and, above all, to finish speaking. This clear alternative to the overheated culture of discussion, in which (virtual) conversations degenerate into aggressive ping-pong, is ideally placed in the cinema.

Cleverly, Mückstein “forces” people to listen and see in a quiet, cell-phone-free isolation. And what? A fine, stoic montage with people who eloquently combine knowledge with experience. You don’t have to agree with everything, even the provocative and sometimes generalizing, but a lot will fall from your eyes like scales. In essence, what feminism (in its final utopia) wants becomes visible and comprehensible – social balance and equal resources for people, regardless of gender.

It is never exclusively about the position of “the woman”, but always more about the circumstances that gave rise to an order headed by the white, “strong”, heterosexual, intact, potent man. It is a concept that is certainly no guarantee of a good, healthy, non-violent life for specimens of this species.

The chains in which gender-specific expectations place us have forged the great systems and currents such as racism, nationalism, colonialism and capitalism. On an individual level, the film will strongly encourage reflection – especially about education. There is also time and space for the sensual. An ensemble translates struggles and insights, which the film, adorned with delicate tones, deals with into artistic movements, strong and light-footed at the same time. Because feminism can do that.

“Feminism WTF”: 2023, 96 min., five out of six stars
In the cinema from Friday

Film premiere in Linz
Director Mückstein will present the film on March 30 (Thursday, 8:15 p.m.)
in cooperation with the “What the Fem*” show by Linzer Nordico at Moviemento Linz, www.moviemento.at