Pink Flamingos

«One of the most vile, stupid and repulsive films ever made.» This is how PINK FLAMINGOS was described when it was reviewed in the film magazine Variety in 1973. John Waters’ filthy trash masterpiece is an American cult film at its very best. The film is as shocking (and funny) today as it was when it came out more than 50 years ago, and the star of the film – the iconic Divine – has left a mark as one of the greatest queer icons in film history.

Babs Johnson, portrayed by Divine, is a fugitive from the police, taking refuge in a Baltimore trailer park with her son Crackers, devoted friend Cotton, and an egg-obsessed mother. When Babs is named «The Filthiest Person Alive» by a magazine, it enrages a local couple who believe they deserve the title. They hatch a cunning plan to get rid of Babs.

John Waters, known as «The Pope of Trash,» gained fame through boundary-pushing underground films in the 1960s, but it was his magnum opus, Pink Flamingos, that propelled him to prominence. The film challenged cinematic boundaries, pushing the limits of what could be shown and exploring audiences' notions of good and bad taste. Waters became a pioneer of queer cinema, leaving a significant impact on the 70s, 80s, and 90s film landscape.

If you have a festival pass you can reserve a ticket by clicking here.

Red.

The screening of PINK FLAMINGOS is done in collaboration with the National Museum as part of the film series «Motstrøms» and is introduced by Åshild Livsdatter Brinchmann Løvvig from Cinema Neuf Filmklubb.

Director

John Waters (b. 1946) is an American filmmaker, author, actor, and artist, known for his boundary-pushing cult films. He made his debut and started his decades-spanning collaboration with the actor and artist Divine with Mundo Trasho (1969), followed by Multiple Maniacs (1970), and later his breakthrough, Pink Flamingos (1972). They also collaborated on Female Trouble (1974) and Polyester (1981), and later the musical Hairspray (1988), which became a huge success and led to a Broadway musical in 2002 and a remake in 2007.

This film is part of