Rosa von Praunheim

German filmmaker and author at the forefront of the gay and queer movements, one of the leading figures in gay and lesbian cinema and New German Cinema. In over 50 years, von Praunheim made more than 150 films (short and feature-length films). He was an early advocate of AIDS awareness and safer sex.

He directed Tally Brown, New York, a documentary about New York underground legend Tally Brown, the first of his wild, unpredictable portraits of aging dancers and cabaret stars in the subterranean world of late '70s New York. The movie featured Divine as well as Warhol-superstars, Taylor Mead and Holly Woodlawn.

His deliberately controversial techniques, designed to challenge audiences sometimes caused him to be criticized by both gay and anti-gay supporters. Praunheim originally studied painting in Berlin and from there was an assistant for such gay filmmakers as Werner Schroeter and Gregory J. Markopoulous. As a director, he made many underground short films on Super-8 or 16mm stock before going to work in television where he became known for such genre parodies as Die Bettwurst (The Bedroll, 1970).

Von Praunheim made his first gay-themed film Sisters of the Revolution in 1969. The film was a three-part look at gay participation in the early women's liberation movement taking place in New York. One of his most influential films was 1970's made-for-TV outing Homosexuelle ist Pervers, Sondern die Situation, in der Er Lebt (It Is Not the Homosexual Who Is Perverted, But the Situation in which He Lives). Not all of von Praunheim's films focus on queerness; some deal with others living on the fringes of society.

Von Praunheim lived in Berlin with his husband Oliver Sechting, a German author, director and mental health activist. Rosa Von Praunheim died in Berlin on 17 December 2025 at the age of 83.