The Big Mambo

The Big Mambo (German title: Das Mambospiel) is a 1998 German tragicomedy. Michael Gwisdek wrote and directed the picture and also takes one of the central roles, appearing alongside Corinna Harfouch and a supporting ensemble that includes Jürgen Vogel, Uwe Kockisch, Henry Hübchen, Michael Schweighöfer, Franziska Petri and Anna Loos. At the heart of the film lies the stormy bond between two creative individuals; as the narrative unfolds around questions of sexuality, the hunt for purpose and the lies people tell themselves, it lays bare how the pair's private world and artistic pursuits bleed into one another. Reviewers in Germany praised it as a close-up psychological study of two artistic souls. The production earned a place at the 48th Berlin International Film Festival, where it represented the sole German contribution to the program.