Rex Gildo - Der letzte Tanz

Rex Gildo celebrates great success with his songs and music films. His most famous hit is “Fiesta Mexicana” from 1972. Rosa von Praunheim recounts a life in the social context of the gay movement, the normative pressure of the pop music industry, and the profound changes of today. He was dazzlingly handsome, could sing and dance, sold 40 million records, appeared in over 30 films, and every child could sing along to “Fiesta Mexicana.” Rex Gildo was a German star. But only his closest confidants knew that he and his manager/discoverer/mentor Fred Miekley had been lovers for decades. To preempt press rumors about his homosexuality, Gildo even married his own cousin. After Miekley's death, Gildo's career fell apart, he became addicted to pills and had alcohol problems. In 1999, he fell from the window of his Munich apartment; he was 63 years old. Half fictional, half documentary, Rosa von Praunheim's new film tells the tragic story of Rex Gildo, an entertainer who felt compelled to lead a double life in the repressive public sphere of the 1950s and 60s and never dared to come out of hiding later in life. In the fictional scenes, newcomer Kilian Berger shines as the young Rex Gildo, Kai Schumann in the role of the older Rex, and Ben Becker as Fred Miekley. In the documentary scenes, pop star Gitte Hænning and Cindy Berger, among others, talk about their time with Rex.