Life? or Theatre?

A letter unlocks the secrets of the ‘real’ Charlotte Salomon, deported to Auschwitz after creating her autobiographical masterpiece.

LEBEN? ODER THEATER? That is the name Charlotte Salomon gave to her painted autobiography. In 1943, just before she was deported to Auschwitz she gave it to a friend.
While the feature film CHARLOTTE (1980) was being made, Charlotte’s stepmother handed the filmmaker a letter, but asked them not to use the contents in the film. In this letter Charlotte describes  the circumstances in which LEBEN? ODER THEATER? was created and provides us an insight into the ‘real’ Charlotte.


85’ / video / colour      

Original title: LEVEN? OF THEATER?
Prod: Quintus Films
Dir: Frans Weisz   
Sc: Frans Weisz, Batya Wolff            
D.O.P.: Paul Staartjes
Completed: November 2011       
Language: Dutch/German/English/French (English subtitles)   

Frans Weisz:
a.o. HAPPY END (2009, feature), HOPSI TOPSI LAND (2006, doc), THE TABLE (2004, short), BOY ECURY
(2003, TV film) Awards: Columbine Award Best Feature Moondance FF (USA), Golden Calf Best
Music Netherlands FF, QUI VIVE (2001, feature), THE REST IS SILENCE (1999, TV film), A WOMAN OF THE
NORTH (1999, feature).

Quintus Films
Ph: +31 20 509 5095
info@quintusfilms.com
www.quintusfilms.com