In conjunction with the exhibition Reassembling Past Futures the ACF London will screen the classic Sissi trilogy depicting the life of Empress Elisabeth (Sissi) of Austria in three subsequent Wednesday screenings.

Artists Anna Artaker and Lilla Khoór juxtapose screen shots of the second Sissi film released in 1956, which depicts the creation of the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary in 1867, with images of Budapest from the same year. The stark contrast of these two sets of images questions how we depict history in order to redefine authorship.

The final film in the trilogy addresses both the successes and challenges of Sissi's career as Empress of Austria-Hungary. It follows her travels and diplomatic skills and her struggle to maintain a close relationship to her children despite strict palace protocols.

The film's director Ernst Marischka planned at least one more "Sissi" film, but Romy Schneider refused to participate in it despite the urging of her mother, Magda Schneider, who portrays Sissi's mother Princess Ludovika in all three films of the existing trilogy.

German with English subtitles

Cineclub will also screen the first and second installments of the trilogy followed by an Anti-Sissi programme including Death Watch with Romi Schneider and Peeping Tom with Karlheinz Böhm.