Haarig

“That’s me – with the hairy stories of my generation,” this is how the narrator begins this filmic exploration of hairy body parts. Whether as a fashion statement, political protest or even in the soup, hair – even when shaven – is omnipresent. With this universal claim, the animadoc reflects on the phenomenon of hair from different perspectives and discovers its tremendous potential in daily life and in art. Following the biography of director Anka Schmid, real-life and archive footage as well as stop-motion technique are interwoven to form an associative montage. This gives rise to enlightening and surprising connections: similar forces in the Afro hairdo of the political activist Angela Davis are shown in Pippi Longstocking’s braids that stick out, an animated shaving of Sean Connery’s chest hair points out the frivolity of fashions and norms, while life action footage of hair manipulation demonstrates the staging of gender identity.

Included in this stupendous stream of images as a leitmotif are works by artists such as Cindy Sherman or Manon, who link art with politics using skin and hair. They bear witness to the social brisance of hair and at the same time form the arc to the director’s own artistic career: in one of her works already as a student she animated hearts made of frizzy hair on a bosom.

Anka Schmid, internationally renowned for her documentary films (“Wild Women – Gentle Beasts”), has made films for the cinema and television, as well as art videos and installations since 1986. She combines this artistic versatility in “Haarig” and creates a playful essay that provokes much thought and a few chuckles about one’s own magnificent head of hair. A tingling feeling on the head is included. “Haarig” celebrates its world premiere at Fantoche.