Palmistry

a) a fat girl singing about not wanting to get thin just to please men.

b) the first time for her and him.

c) at the fortune-teller.

A confrontation of horrible science and horrible superstition.
The song of the fat girl:

I like to eat, I like to drink,
so made me god, I will not shrink
I like the cakes, I like the pies
as long as you eat, you will not die, //
To starve to death, to please a man
is woman´s curse, it is a shame
because he leaves you anyway,
so why not eat, stay cheerfull and gay. //
There comes a little man along,
I blow him up, I make him strong,
he eats with me from my substance,
I feed him, rear him, give him a chance,
I do not flinch when he swells up,
In surface leaves and makes a swap:
He will not live long anyway,
from borrowed strength, I can so say, //
So I go back to eat and drink
This will not hurt me, make me shrink,
I like the cakes, I like the pies,
as long as you eat, you will not die.

(Maria Lassig)


Here Lassnig examines the gap between one’s sense of their own body and that of others: A fortuneteller typical of those populating entire streets in New York’s Little Italy is not far from the truth: ”You like good food!” Girl: ”I am only eating rice and noodles.” Fortune teller: ”Your lifeline is far apart from the headline, you are not dominated by the head.” Girl: ”I read Kant and Plato.”

(Tricky Women Animation Festival)

Orig. Title
Palmistry
Year
1973
Countries
Austria, USA
Duration
11 min
Director
Maria Lassnig
Category
Avantgarde/Arts
Orig. Language
English
Downloads
Palmistry (Image)
Palmistry (Image)
Palmistry (Image)
Credits
Director
Maria Lassnig
Available Formats
16 mm (Distribution Copy)
Aspect Ratio
1:1,37
Sound Format
mono
Frame Rate
24 fps
Color Format
colour
DCP 2K flat (Distribution Copy)
Sound Format
stereo
Color Format
colour
Digital File (prores, h264) (Distribution Copy)
Festivals (Selection)
1993
Wels - Österreichische Filmtage
2006
Graz - Diagonale, Festival des Österreichischen Films