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Logline

INTERMEDIACY is a vivid, time-hopping portrait of queer Berlin, weaving the stories of eight LGBTQIA+ Berliners with the legacy of Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld – the Jewish, gay physician who, more than 125 years ago, declared sexual and gender diversity natural and infinite. As past and present dance, the film confronts fascist erasure and celebrates a lineage of resistance and joy.

Synopsis

INTERMEDIACY is a vivid, time-hopping portrait of queer Berlin, weaving the stories of eight LGBTQIA+ Berliners with the life of Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld who, more than 125 years ago, declared sexual and gender diversity natural and infinite. Through the voices and visions of contemporary queer Berliners, including artists, activists, and cultural workers, we explore how Hirschfeld’s legacy of scientific inquiry and activism continues to shape life today.

The film unfolds across eight chapters, built around three elements. Each chapter opens with an exploration of a specific period of Hirschfeld’s life – drawing on archival materials, animation, and interviews with scholars of queer history and theory. These passages are followed by a stylized drag performance in which performer Zero Pilnik brings Hirschfeld’s words to life. Each chapter culminates in a contemporary personal profile, grounding history in lived experience.

At the historical center of the film is Hirschfeld (1868–1935), a physician and sexologist who challenged the rigid binaries that shaped his own life as a gay, Jewish man. In 1896, he published one of the first public defenses of homosexuality, advancing the radical idea that sexual orientation exists on a continuum with infinite variation. He later expanded his theory of “intermediacy” to gender, arguing that every human is a unique mix of masculinity and femininity traits.

In 1897, Hirschfeld founded the modern Western world’s first LGBTQIA+ rights organization, and in 1919, he opened the Institute for Sexual Science – a groundbreaking center for research, trans+ healthcare, and queer community. As fascism rose in Germany, he became a target and his life’s work was publicly burned in 1933, his name nearly erased from history.

In an era of renewed anti-queer movements, INTERMEDIACY reclaims this buried legacy, honors queer resilience, and invites audiences to imagine more just, joyful futures.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Alex Yakacki — Director/Producer
Alex Yakacki — Director/Producer
Alex Yakacki (He/She/They) is a filmmaker, producer, and editor with over a decade of experience exploring the intersections of history, culture, and identity through video. Most recently, they were awarded a Fulbright scholarship to develop and direct their debut feature documentary, INTERMEDIACY: THE LIFE OF DR. MAGNUS HIRSCHFELD, which uncovers the origins of modern, Western queer identity and traces its enduring influence in Berlin today.

Working with Vox Media, McGee Media, and A+E Networks, among others, their career spans the worlds of editorial media, non-profit, and broadcast television. They have created over 100 short documentaries, promo spots, and explainer videos viewed by millions, with a particular focus on spotlighting extraordinary women, LGBTQIA+ folks, and Black Americans.

They are also an active member of FilmShop, host The Gotham’s Peer-to-Peer Virtual Meet-Up for documentary filmmakers, and serve as Outreach Coordinator for Out on Film festival in Atlanta, GA.

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Contact

For inquiries, please contact fiscalsponsorship@filmindependent.org.