Program Series: Enter the VardaVerse: Women’s Liberation Through Film, 1971–1977

Madame X: An Absolute Ruler

Sat, Apr 8, 2023

Madame X: An Absolute Ruler

Throughout her over fifty-year career, German surrealist filmmaker Ulrike Ottinger (b. 1942) has forged a new and entirely unique cinematic language for fiction filmmaking. With her unconventional and wildly imaginative approach to form, performance, and visual style evident from her debut feature Madame X: An Absolute Ruler, Ottinger breaks open the traditionally male-led swashbuckling genre and produces a spectacular lesbian pirate film set on the ship Orlando, a nod to the titular protagonist of Virginia Woolf’s gender-bending novel. Ottinger, who herself has always identified as a lesbian, paces out a cathartic, singular journey for the creative, vibrant women who accompany this transformative voyage.

DIRECTED BY: Ulrike Ottinger, Tabea Blumenschein. WRITTEN BY: Ulrike Ottinger. WITH: Tabea Blumenschein. 1977. 137 min. West Germany. Color. German. DCP.
Academy Museum film programming generously funded by the Richard Roth Foundation. 
Theater accessibility accommodations available upon request. Learn more about our accessibility initiatives.

Know Before You Go

  • Plan your Visit

    Location

    The Academy Museum and its theaters are located at 6067 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036

    Parking

    Self-parking, accessible parking, and electric vehicle charging options are available. See below for our parking structure information and view the parking page for further details.

    Ride-Share Drop Off

    Roddenberry Lane, entrance on Fairfax Ave.

    LACMA's Pritzker Parking Garage

    6000 W 6th St., Los Angeles, CA 90036, entrance on 6th St.
    5am–10pm
    $20 ($12 after 8pm entry) 
    Accessible spots on P1, adjacent to elevators
    EV charging stations on P1 and P2

    Petersen Automotive Museum Garage

    744 Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036, entrance on Fairfax Ave. or 8th St.
    6am–11pm
    $24 (first 15 min. free)
    Accessible spots on P1 only; no garage elevator
    EV charging stations on P1

  • Accessibility

    Audio Description

    For visitors who are blind or partially-sighted, audio description devices are available for some digital film screenings on a first-come, first-served basis. 

    Real-time audio descriptions are available for some performances upon request with at least three weeks’ notice, subject to the availability of describers. Email academymuseum@oscars.org to submit your request.

    Closed Captioning

    For visitors who are deaf or hard of hearing, in-seat closed captioning or descriptive audio-devices are available for some digital film screenings on a first-come, first-served basis. Please confirm availability at academymuseum@oscars.org before planning your visit. 

    Real-time captioning is available for programs upon request with at least three weeks’ notice, subject to the availability of captioners. Email academymuseum@oscars.org to submit your request.

    Please see our Accessibility page for complete information, including details on our Visual Description Tours, Calm Mornings, and Covid-19 policies.