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Adele Neuhauser’s ‘Makellos’ Debuts on ARD, Challenging Taboos on Age and Desire

Neuhauser frames the film as a bid to make older women’s needs visible, with intimate moments filmed with deliberate restraint.

Overview

  • The 90-minute drama premiered in prime time on March 11 on Das Erste and is available in the ARD Mediathek.
  • Neuhauser, 67, portrays Constanze, a successful businesswoman who seeks to feel seen again through a brief connection with a younger escort.
  • She told dpa she had to overcome shame during intimate scenes, which she, director Dirk Kummer and co-star Manuel Rubey chose to stage sensitively and sparingly.
  • Critics single out the cast, noting Manuel Rubey as Ricardo and Ulrich Noethen as the husband, and commend the film’s ambition to confront double standards around ageing and desire.
  • A noted critique questions the lack of a female perspective behind the camera, even as reviewers praise the empathy of the portrayal.