The Hairdresser

Back to square one! Unemployed hairdresser Kathi König has decided to
move back to the Berlin district of Marzahn where she grew up. Her ex-husband,
Micha, is still living in their detached house in Gräfenhainichen with
his new wife and a new daughter. So here she sits, in between packing
cases and the dubious charm of Marzahn’s concrete pre-fabs. Nonetheless,
Kathi is determined to get a grip on her new life.

The job centre finds her a position at a hairdressing salon at Eastgate shopping
centre. Kathi, who received her hairdressing training in the GDR and has
a genuine passion for her trade, is to start the very next day. Unfortunately
Kathi, who is a very heavy girl, is turned down because she ′doesn’t look the
part′. At least that’s what the salon’s boss, Mrs Krieger, tells her. But Kathi isn’t
easily deterred. She decides to open up her own hairdressing salon in the
now-empty Asian snack bar next door to Salon Krieger. This marks the beginning
of a battle with the authorities, the banks and a bevy of consultants.

"Die Friseuse" is the first Doris Dörrie film that has not been adapted from
the filmmaker’s own screenplay. Doris Dörrie: "I was inspired by the character
of Kathi. Laila Stieler hadn’t even written the screenplay when she first
told me story. In long conversations she managed to convey the character
of this hairdresser in a way that was so genuine, so real, so funny and excitingly
different that I said to Laila: ′When you’ve finished the screenplay, I’ll
be first in the queue of those wanting to film it.′ When I read the finished
script I knew at once that I wanted to set out on this expedition into exotic
territory – because East Germany is indeed exotic for me. But I can see
East Germany with fresh eyes, because I hardly know it. And I for one would
like to know more about someone like this hairdresser."

Source: 60. Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin (Catalogue)