Der Besuch der alten Dame

In the organizer's words:

The town of Güllen is on the brink of ruin. Unemployment is high, the economy lies idle. But a ray of hope appears on the horizon. Claire Zachanassian, born Klara Wäscher, returns to her hometown, along with the billions she has made through lucrative marriages and subsequent divorces. The whole of Güllen is hoping for a generous donation to finally restore its financial health.

And Claire is ready to donate, because she is out for revenge. She promises a billion for the head of hotel owner Alfred Ill, who impregnated her as a young girl and abandoned her with the child. Ill even bribed two witnesses and a judge to deny paternity. The people of Güllen reject the dishonest offer outright. How long will the morals of urban society last? And can justice be bought in the end?

In Texas, Elon Musk is using his billions to transform the town of Brownsville into his black and white space dream. In France, Gisèle Pelicot ensures that shame changes sides. In his classic "The Visit of the Old Lady", Friedrich Dürrenmatt brings together highly topical themes and confronts us with the question of whether everything is for sale in this world, including morality. Director Lily Kuhlmann transforms the story into a gripping horror story from which there is no escape for Alfred Ill.