Palmistry

a) a fat girl singing about not wanting to get thin just to please men.

b) the first time for her and him.

c) at the fortune-teller.

A confrontation of horrible science and horrible superstition.
The song of the fat girl:

I like to eat, I like to drink,
so made me god, I will not shrink
I like the cakes, I like the pies
as long as you eat, you will not die, //
To starve to death, to please a man
is woman´s curse, it is a shame
because he leaves you anyway,
so why not eat, stay cheerfull and gay. //
There comes a little man along,
I blow him up, I make him strong,
he eats with me from my substance,
I feed him, rear him, give him a chance,
I do not flinch when he swells up,
In surface leaves and makes a swap:
He will not live long anyway,
from borrowed strength, I can so say, //
So I go back to eat and drink
This will not hurt me, make me shrink,
I like the cakes, I like the pies,
as long as you eat, you will not die.

(Maria Lassig)


Here Lassnig examines the gap between one’s sense of their own body and that of others: A fortuneteller typical of those populating entire streets in New York’s Little Italy is not far from the truth: ”You like good food!” Girl: ”I am only eating rice and noodles.” Fortune teller: ”Your lifeline is far apart from the headline, you are not dominated by the head.” Girl: ”I read Kant and Plato.”

(Tricky Women Animation Festival)

Orig. Title
Palmistry
Year
1974
Countries
Austria, USA
Duration
11 min
Director
Maria Lassnig
Category
Avantgarde/Arts
Orig. Language
English
Downloads
Palmistry (Image)
© Maria Lassnig Foundation/Courtesy sixpack­film
Palmistry (Image)
© Maria Lassnig Foundation/Courtesy sixpack­film
Palmistry (Image)
© Maria Lassnig Foundation/Courtesy sixpack­film
Credits
Director
Maria Lassnig
Available Formats
16 mm (Distribution Copy)
Aspect Ratio
1:1,37
Sound Format
mono
Frame Rate
24 fps
Color Format
colour
DCP 2K flat (Distribution Copy)
Sound Format
stereo
Color Format
colour
Digital File (prores, h264) (Distribution Copy)