Trans Narratives
After the screening stay for a panel moderated by Professor Corey Crekmur with Craig Esbeck and Sharon Stalkfleet, representatives from the local Queer Elders group.
"A celebration! Powerful, dramatic and original!"—Gay Times
In this documentary film, Rosa von Praunheim tells the almost unbelievable life story of a warm-hearted and gentle person, courageous outsider, and perpetual fighter. Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, born in 1928, grew up during the Nazi era under a tyrannical and violent father. Charlotte survives the turmoil of the war, lives her life, and builds her own museum, the only private museum in the former German Democratic Republic, and continues to fight to realize her dreams and aspirations. In 1992, she received one of Germany's highest awards, the Federal Cross of Merit.
Corey Creekmur is an Associate Professor in Cinematic Arts, English, and Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies. He also served on the executive board of FilmScene for 9 years, and co-edited (with Alexander Doty) one of the first collections of gay, lesbian, and queer criticism on popular culture.
Craig Esbeck grew up in rural Iowa, but he’s spent much of his life on the move. He was a bank teller, a sign language interpreter, and a primary school science teacher before joining the Peace Corps and moving to Uganda. He stayed on after his service and established an instructional design company (Mango Tree) and a non-profit supporting literacy in African languages (Mango Tree Literacy Lab).
Sharon Stalkfleet has worked as a nurse as well as a chaplain and pastor in Iowa, Illinois and California. Her ministries tend to serve people on the margins, including people who are elderly, disabled, dying, unhoused, food insecure, and financially insecure, in recovery, and immigrants.
If you are interested in the Queer Elders, you can join the Facebook page at "Queer Elders of Iowa City" or write to Craig at qeic.icsc@gmail.com
