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Emmi Kurowski, a cleaning lady, is lonely in her old age. Her husband died years ago, and her grown children offer little companionship. One night she goes to a bar frequented by Arab immigrants and strikes up a friendship with middle-aged mechanic Ali. Their relationship soon develops into something more, and Emmi's family and neighbors criticize their spontaneous marriage. Soon Emmi and Ali are forced to confront their own insecurities about their future.
An elderly German cleaning woman, Emmi Kurowski, unexpectedly marries a much younger Moroccan guest worker named Ali. Their union is met with disapproval and outright hostility from Emmi's neighbors, friends, and even her own children. The film chronicles the societal prejudices they face and their struggle to maintain their love in the face of racism and alienation.
Ali: Fear Eats the Soul was widely acclaimed by critics for its powerful social commentary, raw emotional performances, and Fassbinder's masterful direction. It is considered one of his most accessible and impactful films, resonating with audiences for its timely exploration of xenophobia and loneliness.
A deeply moving and unflinching examination of prejudice and societal hypocrisy.
Features a career-defining performance from Brigitte Mira.
Masterfully directed, the film blends melodrama with sharp social critique.
Google audience: Audiences praise the film for its emotional honesty and its timely, powerful message against racism and xenophobia. Many viewers were moved by the central love story and the performances, though some found the subject matter difficult.
Won the FIPRESCI Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and the German Film Award for Best Actress (Brigitte Mira). Nominated for the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Rainer Werner Fassbinder cast the film's star, Brigitte Mira, after seeing her perform as a cabaret singer. He was so impressed by her stage presence that he decided to build the movie around her.
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Does anyone remember when Channel 4 (in the UK) had their Friday night red triangle zone of late night adult films that would probably have been X-certificate but that were available free-to-air? I think this is probably the only one of tho...
The original title of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's 1974 film "Fear Eats the Soul" is deliberately ungrammatical German: ANGST ESSEN SEELE AUF "Fear Eat Soul". That is due to one of the two protagonists we meet: Ali (El Hedi ben Salem) is a Mo...
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