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Deep Dive: The Circle (2014)

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The Circle
The Circle is a 2014 Swiss docudrama directed by Stefan Haupt, focusing on the gay social network in Zürich during the 1940s and 1950s. The film centers around The Circle, a gay publication that fostered community and social events, while navigating the challenges posed by societal attitudes and police investigations into murders of gay men. The narrative follows Ernst Ostertag, a schoolteacher, and Röbi Rapp, a drag entertainer, who formed a lifelong romantic relationship through their involvement with The Circle. The film incorporates interviews with Ostertag and Rapp, alongside archival footage and scripted reenactments to present their story. It shows the lack of legal restrictions against homosexuality in Switzerland at the time, which allowed for the growth of a publication that catered to a gay audience while adhering to Swiss censorship standards. The Circle was recognized at the 2014 Berlin Film Festival, winning the Teddy Award for Best Documentary and the Panorama Audience Award.

Why Watch

  • •Meet Ernst Ostertag and Röbi Rapp, a historic couple.
  • •See Zürich's gay culture in the 1940s and 1950s.
  • •Find out about The Circle publication's impact.

Did You Know

•The Circle premiered at the 2014 Berlin Film Festival.
•The film has a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 24 reviews.
•It was selected as Switzerland's entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards.

Perfect For

LGBTQ+ historySwiss cinemaBerlin Film Festival winners