Angela Winkler has spoken out against the German film industry’s treatment of older actresses. Winkler told the publication “Zeit” that when she turned 50, she felt that female roles essentially stopped appearing, presumably because people assume older women are no longer appealing to a male audience.
For actresses, age presents a unique challenge, and Winkler admitted to feeling shame. She mentioned the difficulty in memorizing lines, but also embarrassment over physical aspects, such as having bruises on her legs, which is why she consistently wears pantyhose.
She expressed great satisfaction, however, with Doris Dörrie’s new film, which was dedicated to her. Finally, she noted, an older woman was shown as a lead character, and the narrative was able to explore life situations pertinent to old age. In this new production, titled “Frau Winkler verlässt das Haus,” Angela Winkler plays the titular role: an elderly actress who must be taken care of by a nursing robot after an accident.
Winkler described her relationship with Doris Dörrie as a casual but meaningful connection. She shared that she wrote to Dörrie, Dörrie responded, and eventually, the director proposed that she write a screenplay for her. Winkler views Dörrie as a friend, stating that the film being created by a woman was extremely helpful, as it allowed for open discussion of sensitive topics.
