A rare gem pulled from the archives! German screen legend Romy Schneider stars as Manuela, the spirited teenage orphan who arrives at a strict all-girls boarding school. Full of sugar, spice and a nice bunch of hormones, she falls in love with her teacher, Fräulein von Bernburg (the beautiful Lilli Palmer) — much to the dismay of the school’s authoritarian headmistress.

Fans of Katerine Brooks’ popular drama Loving Annabelle will recognize the youthful lesbian longing of Mädchen (Brooks has described Annabelle as a modern update of Mädchen — in which the teacher succumbs to the charms of her student). But the love in Mädchen is truly forbidden — despite Manuela’s best efforts, her teacher is affectionate but entirely restrained. This 1958 remake of the historic 1931 film is gorgeously shot. A late-’50s palette of blues and grays provides an atmospheric backdrop for a tale of suppressed passion.

Rarely seen since its initial delayed 1965 US theatrical release, Mädchen displays an amazingly progressive message of tolerance for its lesbian character. It’s a truly remarkable feat for one of only two lesbian-themed films of the decade (the other being the 1951 French girls’ school drama, Olivia — shown at Frameline16). Don’t miss a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see this landmark film on the big screen.