In Heinz Emigholz's 2020 film The Lobby, John Erdman, as "Old White Male," returns in The Suit, a sci-fi-comic sequel. Erdman, joined by a philosophizing German filmmaker (Susanne Bredehöft) and a robotic version of himself, explores human absurdity and the uncertain future. Set mainly in a bunker-like home, the film dives into topics like cinema, the apocalypse, and digital vs. corporeal existence. Shot in Berlin, Malta, and Mexico City, the film references Walter Benjamin to Nelly Furtado, sparing nothing from scrutiny.

The Suit begins with an intriguing scene at the base of a small hill, where intertwined withered trees form what's dubbed the "Perfect Olive Grove." Here, actor John Erdman, embodying Heinz Emigholz's persona, addresses the camera directly. As the director's surrogate, Erdman guides viewers into the most intimate "orchard" of the artist's world—his bedroom or bunker, a space where creativity flourishes and its fruits mature. The narrative unfolds as Erdman introduces a book of Chinese drawings from 1973, launching into an extensive soliloquy that touches on life and death, illness, dreams, gravity, and cinema. This long monologue forms the backbone of Emigholz's latest film, transforming it into a ruminative essay on life, art, and the world at large. The Suit is rich in collage, weaving together lines, sentences, and aphorisms borrowed from Walter Benjamin, Friedrich Hölderlin, and Alexander Solomonica. Through this tapestry of thoughts, the film conveys the present state of the aging master filmmaker. Alongside John Erdman, actress Susanne Bredehöft appears as his partner, adding another layer to the intimate narrative. Shot in 2023 across Berlin (Emigholz's home base) and Mexico City (once home to Leon Trotsky), The Suit is dedicated to Philip K. Dick's 1970 science fiction novel Our Friends from Frolix 8.

• ProducerHeinz EMIGHOLZ, Jonathan PEREL, Claudio ZILLERUELO ACRA, Julián ANTUñANO, John ERDMAN
• Screenplay Heinz EMIGHOLZ
• Cinematography Heinz EMIGHOLZ, Till BECKMANN, Jonathan PEREL
• Edit Till BECKMANN, Heinz EMIGHOLZ
• Production Design Ueli ETTER
• Sound Jesús Omar Elizalde BLANCAS, Ueli ETTER, Andreas REIHSE, Christian OBERMAIER, Jochen JEZUSSEK
• Cast John ERDMAN, Susanne BREDEHöFT, René SCHOENENBERGER, Laurean WAGNER

Filmgalerie 458

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