German writer/director Monika Treut has been a vibrant force in queer cinema for decades. Her debut film, Seduction: The Cruel Woman, in 1985, was an instant classic, and her reputation as a filmmaker of importance was cemented with her feminist effort, The Virgin Machine. Other career highlights include her sexy contribution to the anthology, Erotique, her trans documentary, Gendernauts, and her intriguing romantic drama about loss, Ghosted.
Treut’s latest film, Of Girls and Horses, now out on DVD, showcases her emphasis on mood rather than drama as it chronicles the Alex (Ceci Chuh), a troubled young girl who is sent to work on a farm where Nina (Vanida Karun), a lesbian trains horses. While Alex is slowly drawn to Nina and the horses, her attitude changes—and romance blossoms—with the arrival of Kathy (Alissa Wilms).
The filmmaker spoke about Of Girls and Horses in a recent Skype session.
Windy City Times: What prompted you to make this film? What is so appealing about the bond between girls and horses?
Monika Treut: It’s slightly autobiographical, a mélange of inspiration from my own childhood. I did horseback riding when I was a teenager. When I became a filmmaker, I didn’t have time to continue. Horseback riding is still something I really like to do. I’m into the loose style of horsemanship, treating the horse as a partner; you don’t train them for competition. I think it’s hard to understand what’s so special and unique about being around horses if you’re not a horse person. I like the smell of horses and the hay, and being in the stables calms me down.
WCT: What can you say about the “opposites attract” narrative?
MT: I really liked the difference between the young actresses; one [Alissa Wilms] was from a bourgeois background and the other [Chuh] from the city streets. I didn’t know if there would be any chemistry between them, so I took them to a horse stable. I wasn’t sure if Chuh would connect with horses, because she wasn’t around them much. Alissa had her own horse, and it was like a bourgeois horse, which was not like the other horses on the farm. Opposites always give more mileage to a narrative. I wanted these two different girls to find a way to communicate with each other, and the medium was that was the horses.
WCT: How did you shape the three main characters and the storylines?
MT: With Alex, it can be a mixture of her playing the bad girl, and trying out different things. She is attracted to the more mature Nina, and feels protected and cared for by her. Kathy thinks about Alex’s future. Nina is very immediate, so we know a little bit about her and her relationship, but it’s not fully drawn. You, as the spectator, have to imagine it, and fill it up with your own experiences. Is Kathy trying out something new with Alex? Alex is in search of warmth and emotions and friendship. I wouldn’t label them; keep it open. The ending is open, too.
WCT: Can you discuss working with the actresses and the animals?
MT: I was very nervous about the animals. I’ve never worked with horses before on camera. I was pleasantly surprised, though. We felt that the horses enjoyed being on camera. The gelding, the dark brown horse, kept wanting us to take him. We had to shoot the halter scene 20 times, and we thought it was unpleasant for him, but he just stood there and was like, “Do it again!” We didn’t have a moment where the horses were causing trouble. I think they liked the attention. We also gave them treats and petted them. It was a bit harder for the girls.
WCT: How do you see this film, which is rather sweet and gentle, fitting into your career as a filmmaker?
MT: [Laughs] That’s such an American question! One big difference was that it was my first time to shoot in the countryside, rather than Taipei, New York or San Francisco. The pace of the film is influenced by quiet farm life, the nature and the weather. I wanted to take that quality of a different lifestyle into the film. I don’t think of a film in terms of career, but a new enterprise. I have his curiosity for new subjects and experiences.
©2015 Gary M. Kramer