As a child, Effi marries Baron Geert von Innstetten, a prominent prefect and once her mother's unhappy suitor. In Kessin, a small seaside resort on the Baltic, she begins her new life as a married woman, a sinister one despite her husband's attentions. But society, very squeamish, has little appreciation for Effi's youth and beauty...
A faithful adaptation of Theodor Fontane's novel, Effi Briest is a classic of women's films in the great vein of Fassbinder's Sirkian melodramas. A work about fear and submission, it is also very close to Martha , which the filmmaker made at the same time. From its similarities, Fassbinder highlights the artistic differences, moving from the flamboyant colors of Martha to the nuanced black and white of Effi Briest .
EFFI BRIEST
(1974 – B&W – 141 min)
SUPPLEMENTS
. FASSBINDER WOMEN (25 mins)
An essay by Nicolas Ripoche evoking the female figure in Fassbinder.
. TRAILER
DVD Slim
Released October 5, 2011