Stefan Braun
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Stefan Braun
More than 16 years have passed since furrier Stefan Braun passed away, but for Eliezer Rath, his lover and life-partner for 39 years, Stefan’s heart is still beating. Day in and day out he sits in Stefan’s room which hasn’t been touched since Stefan passed away, recording himself talking to him. Eliezer has recorded hundreds of tapes in which he tells Stefan about the events of the day, sings to him, and includes him in his thoughts and longings. Eliezer Rath and Stefan Braun’s love story began in the 1950’s in a young conformist state where homosexuality was outlawed, in Stefan Braun’s colorful and successful fur salon frequented by affluent residents and visitors from around the world.However, for Stefan’s family, the relationship between the two is not an amazing and harmonious love story. They describe Eliezer as someone who rapidly transformed from lover to servant, ready to endure humiliation and betrayal just so he could be near his lover, while Stefan became the master totally dependent on his servant’s close service.After Stefan’s death, Eliezer Rath is forced to prove his love for his life-partner. He is confronted by Stefan’s close-knit family who express suspicions about Stefan’s last days in light of the will he left behind. Conversations held between Eliezer and Stefan’s family, rare recordings, personal diaries, hundreds of stills and old 8mm films tell the fascinating and complex love story of furrier Stefan Braun and tailor Eliezer Rath.
Festivals and Awards:
Best Promising Director at The Israeli Documentary Forum Awards, 2008; The Cinematography Award at The Jerusalem International Film Festival, Israel, 2007; Wisconsin Madison Jewish/Israeli Film Festival, USA, 2009; Santa Fe International Film Festival, USA, 2008; Washington Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2008; Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, USA, 2008; Berlin Jewish Film Festival, Germany, 2008; UK Jewish Film Festival, UK, 2008; San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2008; New York International Independent Film and Video Festival, USA, 2008; New York Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2008
Director: Itamar Alcalay
Producer: Amir Harel, Ayelet Kait, lee levi
Production Company: Lama Films
Cinematographer: Itai Neeman
Editor: Joelle Alexis
Original Soundtrack: Ronit Rolland
Supporter(s): The New Fund for Cinema and Television, NOGA Communications - Channel 8
Script: Nir Shenhav
Distributor: Ruth Diskin Ltd.
Subtitles: English
Film Name in Hebrew: סטפן בראון
Category: History / Israeli Society / LGBT / Old Age
Tag Words: 8mm film archival material diary furs homosexuality LGBT life partner Love outlaw relationship salon tailor
More than 16 years have passed since furrier Stefan Braun passed away, but for Eliezer Rath, his lover and life-partner for 39 years, Stefan’s heart is still beating. Day in and day out he sits in Stefan’s room which hasn’t been touched since Stefan passed away, recording himself talking to him. Eliezer has recorded hundreds of tapes in which he tells Stefan about the events of the day, sings to him, and includes him in his thoughts and longings. Eliezer Rath and Stefan Braun’s love story began in the 1950’s in a young conformist state where homosexuality was outlawed, in Stefan Braun’s colorful and successful fur salon frequented by affluent residents and visitors from around the world.However, for Stefan’s family, the relationship between the two is not an amazing and harmonious love story. They describe Eliezer as someone who rapidly transformed from lover to servant, ready to endure humiliation and betrayal just so he could be near his lover, while Stefan became the master totally dependent on his servant’s close service.After Stefan’s death, Eliezer Rath is forced to prove his love for his life-partner. He is confronted by Stefan’s close-knit family who express suspicions about Stefan’s last days in light of the will he left behind. Conversations held between Eliezer and Stefan’s family, rare recordings, personal diaries, hundreds of stills and old 8mm films tell the fascinating and complex love story of furrier Stefan Braun and tailor Eliezer Rath.
Festivals and Awards:
Best Promising Director at The Israeli Documentary Forum Awards, 2008; The Cinematography Award at The Jerusalem International Film Festival, Israel, 2007; Wisconsin Madison Jewish/Israeli Film Festival, USA, 2009; Santa Fe International Film Festival, USA, 2008; Washington Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2008; Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, USA, 2008; Berlin Jewish Film Festival, Germany, 2008; UK Jewish Film Festival, UK, 2008; San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2008; New York International Independent Film and Video Festival, USA, 2008; New York Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2008
Director: Itamar Alcalay
Producer: Amir Harel, Ayelet Kait, lee levi
Production Company: Lama Films
Cinematographer: Itai Neeman
Editor: Joelle Alexis
Original Soundtrack: Ronit Rolland
Supporter(s): The New Fund for Cinema and Television, NOGA Communications - Channel 8
Script: Nir Shenhav
Distributor: Ruth Diskin Ltd.
Subtitles: English
Film Name in Hebrew: סטפן בראון
Category: History / Israeli Society / LGBT / Old Age
Tag Words: 8mm film archival material diary furs homosexuality LGBT life partner Love outlaw relationship salon tailor