Der scharlachrote Buchstabe
(The Scarlet Letter)
by Wim Wenders
Western Germany 1973, 86’
Starring Senta Berger, Hans Christian Blech, Lou Castel, Yelena Samarina

Original version with Italian subtitles. Free entry.

In collaboration with the Centro Evangelico di Cultura Giacomo Bonelli.

Set in the puritan New England, this film by Wim Wenders is a personal reimagining of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1850 novel. It tells the story of Hester Prynne, a woman condemned to social ostracism for having a child out of wedlock. Forced to wear the scarlet letter “A” as a symbol of adultery, Hester confronts the hypocrisies and prejudices of a rigidly moralistic community.

Wenders adapts this literary classic through his contemplative style, focusing on atmospheres and universal themes of guilt, shame, and resistance.

La Deutsche Vita: A Journey Through German Cinema

This year, the film series celebrates the 80th anniversary of Rainer Werner Fassbinder, a pioneer of New German Cinema. His fearless storytelling exposed societal hypocrisy, power dynamics, and human contradictions. A tribute screening of Mother Küsters Goes to Heaven highlights themes of class, family, and postwar struggles. The program also explores memory, war, justice, and women’s roles, with motherhood symbolizing resilience amid today’s crises.

In Collaboration With:
Città di Palermo – Assessorato alla Cultura
Centro Evangelico di Cultura Giacomo Bonelli
Sicilia Queer Filmfest