PODCAST| Matt Micucci interviews Frederikke Aspöck, director of the film Out of Tune.
An interview with director Frederikke Aspöck, whose third feature film Out of Tune had its world premiere at the 2019 International Film Festival Rotterdam. The film is a black comedy set in a prison, and its plot revolves around a white-collar criminal and his problematic, power-thirsty relationship with a prison choir. In this interview, Aspöck talks about the timeless elements of her movie and the ways in which she attempts to defy representations of masculinity and make a film that itself is out of tune, different from other prison movies.
Out of Tune: Suspected of large-scale investment fraud, multimillionaire Markus Føns is remanded in custody. Self-assured as he is, he assumes that his connections with the underworld will come in handy in the remand centre, but quite the contrary turns out to be true. After being beaten up by a prison gang, he allows himself to be persuaded to go into voluntary solitary confinement in a special department that offers protection to the most despised prisoners: the father killers, abusers of women and rapists of children. The arrogance of the white-collar criminal contrasts starkly in this prison comedy with the social stigma confronting the other prisoners. Solidarity in the prison wing is typified by the choir they sing in every week. It’s not long before the newcomer joins the rehearsals, but taking part isn’t enough for the Machiavellian Markus. As an experienced manipulator, he starts, step-by-step, undermining the position of choir leader Niels.
The Lovers Film Festival celebrates 40 years with 70 films from 26 countries, international guests and tributes to LGBTQI+ cinema icons. Directed by Vladimir Luxuria, from 10 to 17 April at the Cinema Massimo in Turin.