Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972)

I loved the blocking and composition in the Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant. The use of dynamic distance to show the distance in love, the dynamic centering of subjects, the use of barriers in order to show a desire unrequited, all of it is a powerful display of cinematography by Michael Ballhaus. The movie dissects the misdirected forces of love, a love that is so controlling that its inevitable destruction leads to internal devastation. Petra’s love for Karin is a covetous performance; it deconstructs her self-assured character as a desperate façade.