There’s an interesting but undeveloped metaphor for neurodivergence in PEACOCK (PFAU - BIN ICH ECHT?), a film where Matthias (Albrecht Schuch) spends his entire life masking as part of his job playing various social roles for clients. He masks to such an extent that the person underneath begins to disappear, leading his girlfriend (Julia Franz Richter) to ask the titular question, “Are you real?” The film explores this alongside some other interesting questions around performance, honesty, and humanity but it all feels a little light by the end in a way that feels as if it hasn’t properly engaged with its weighty themes.
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20969 words / mins total