Vertrauensmann/Liaison officer

– A disabled life for justice | Sensitive portrait by Franz-Josef Sauer, documentary film by Hugo Schmidt

The documentary film follows the eventful life story of Franz-Josef Sauer, who has a physical disability, and portrays his search for his own identity. The film sensitively accompanies the path through doubt and shame to an open and proud approach to his own disability.

Born in the 1930s, Franz-Josef Sauer experienced and helped shape German history as a person with a disability. He was honoured with the Federal Cross of Merit for his social commitment. In the film VERTRAUENSMANN, Franz-Josef Sauer and Hugo Schmidt – two men with a physical disability – meet. The pensioner and the student are 64 years apart, but it quickly becomes clear that many of their experiences are similar. The men have experienced discrimination since childhood and ask themselves who they are or who they want to be. The search, the questions and the feelings are timeless and paint an impressive picture of an ableist society.

The world premiere took place on 8 April 2024 as part of the filmclub münster at the Schloßtheater.

The Filmwerkstatt Münster supported the production.