What a Feeling is showing at OFN LGBTQIA+ Film Festival on Friday, 15th November. BOOK TICKETS
There is a line in the lyrics of Irene Cara’s floor filler “What a Feeling” that says “Take your passion. And make it happen.” Those words pretty much summarise Kat Rohrer’s feel-good rom-com What a Feeling, a movie about making things happen, no matter what stage of life you may have reached. Rohrer’s story, co-developed with Malina Nwabuonwor and Wolfgang Widerhofer, is a formulaic but joyous tale of transformation, new beginnings, and the need to shake off the limitations of love and connection we often place on ourselves by mid-life.
Set in Vienna, Rohrer’s movie is alive with the romance of its setting, as two women collide, quite literally. Fe (Proschat Madani) is confident in her sexuality but less assured about how her love for women interfaces with her Iranian heritage, and Marie (Caroline Peters) is a German-born doctor whose heterosexual marriage has just fallen apart after 20 years. Both women are at turning points when they meet in less-than-perfect conditions as Fe almost runs Marie over on a level crossing.
Fe’s life is caught in a loop of casual sexual encounters with women who are generally married and can’t offer anything beyond a clandestine meet. At the same time, her close Iranian-born family are caring for an ailing yet stubborn mother who doesn’t know Fe is gay, allowing for little honesty at family get-togethers. Meanwhile, Marie is attempting to navigate the collapse of her marriage of twenty years to a man she thought she loved but possibly never did, while also caring for her teenage daughter and attempting to navigate a lecherous boss at the hospital where she works. For both Fe and Marie, something is missing in their lives that might be found in each other’s arms if they lift the self-created barriers stopping them.
Of course, in the best traditions of the classic “Will They, Won’t They” rom-com What a Feeling places several hurdles in the way of Fe and Marie’s emerging love, from cultural barriers to internal fears and social misunderstandings that almost end their passion before they make it happen. But despite following the expected rom-com path, What a Feeling feels fresh due to a screenplay that, while sticking to the traditional recipe, sprinkles in themes of cultural identity, the expectations placed on women, and the importance of embracing our true selves regardless of age.
Equally strong is the love and attention paid to the film’s ensemble cast, all of whom feel like fully realised and fleshed-out characters with their own unique backstories. From Bigi (Barbara Spitz), the owner of Fe’s local haunt, the Pussy Cat Bar, to Marie’s daughter (Allegra Tinnefeld), Fe’s mum (Gohar Nurbachsch), her loving brother (Anton Noori) and Marie’s friend Tom (Rafael Haider) who finally embraces his drag persona in the security and comfort of a lesbian bar, What a Feeling celebrates its ability to speak to a diverse audience while creating a world we can truly believe in.
With beautifully timed comedy, engaging and fun performances, moments of emotional clout, and a screenplay that celebrates the classic rom-com while exploring broader social themes, What a Feeling proudly exclaims, “Take your passion. And make it happen”.
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