HORST BUCHHOLZ–MY PAPA Made in Germany

From 2001 until his sudden death in 2004, Horst Buchholz’s son Christopher recorded insightful conversations with his father. Opening up as never before, Horst tells us of his mother’s attempted suicide with him in the womb, his years spent in Hitler’s youth army, his rise to stardom, his bisexuality and his alcoholism. We also meet Horst’s daughter and wife, who, when asked if she misses him, falls silent and then responds: “That’s private.” Intertwined with the matter-of-fact stork conversations between father and son (as stark as the empty white room left by Buchholz’s death), we see touching Super 8mm moments from the family archives-Horst in the pool with his small son, his playfulness on the beach posing as a matador and him being silly with his young daughter.

This playful man contrasts sharply with the screen persona and the charming white smile of the big screen. Nicotine-stained teeth and a body thin and aged by alcoholism, Horst Buchholz is a man who’s given up on life-walking the fine line between tragedy and comedy.

Take an intimate journey inside the psyche of this difficult yet endearing screen star filled with contradictions.