Die Geheimnisse des Schönen Leo

A film by Benedikt Schwarzer.In German.

[Credits] [Termine] [Trailer]

Leo Wagner was a Member of Parliament for the Conservatives (CSU), a clo­se con­fidan­te of Franz Josef Strauß and a dazz­ling figu­re in Cologne’s night­li­fe. He left his fami­ly behind with many ques­ti­ons and open wounds.

His grand­son, the film direc­tor Benedikt Schwarzer, embarks on the search for a grand­fa­ther who he never real­ly got to know. He finds con­tem­po­ra­ry wit­nesses, pimps and lovers, even Leo‘s com­man­ding offi­cer in the Stasi. His par­ty fri­ends from the time remain curious­ly silent.

The attrac­ti­ve appearance of Leo’s text­book care­er and pic­tu­re-book fami­ly in the elec­tion bro­chu­res is decep­ti­ve. His mar­ria­ge was rui­ned. He beca­me invol­ved in dubio­us busi­ness. And evi­dence is being con­firm­ed that Leo Wagner was the cru­cial trai­tor who led to the fail­ure of the CDU / CSU’s vote of no con­fi­dence against Federal Chancellor Willy Brandt in 1972 – cele­bra­ted by the Stasi.

His life still casts a shadow over his fami­ly. It has taken a long time for his daugh­ter to be able to speak about the past. The can­dy-colou­red Super‑8 films of the 1960s and 1970s are view­ed in a com­ple­te­ly new light.

Benedikt Schwarzer‘s rese­arch into Leo Wagner opens up an unem­bel­lished view oflook at the con­tra­dic­tions of his gene­ra­ti­on and the sor­did under­bel­ly of the Bonn Republic.

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Credits:

Deutschland 2018, 80 Minuten
Regie & Buch: Benedikt Schwarzer
Kamera: Julian Krubasik
Schnitt: Natascha Cartolaro

Termine:

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Trailer:

Die Geheimnisse des Schönen Leo – Offizieller Trailer