“I may be a feminist, but I damn, I want to look good while doing it!” In her bluntly told film, director Marita Neher struggles with the contradiction of wanting to be attractive and at the same time rebelling against the social pressure to be sexier.

In her early 50s, she feels branded with a stamp: “Expiry date reached!” Not only does she see herself, but also other women her age, threatened by invisibility. Over time, you obviously become unattractive not only on the job market, but also on the market of friendships and desires. So what to do?

When looking for a way out of the dilemma, Marita spares herself nothing: her mother’s strict advice, lingerie advice for women over 50, glued-on eyelashes and Botox injections.  But can she still rebel against sexism like this?

The director meets women of all generations and with different lifestyles in order to find their own path. Unlike in the 70s and 80s, for today’s teenage girls everything seems simple and clear: look like a top model if possible, but be self-determined! For the 40-year-old “Sexy Mom” Alexandra, freedom of choice is the only thing that counts – pure emancipation. The breasts can also be used as a weapon. A more critical view of the body and the role of women is represented by the rapper Sookie and the Femen activist Klara, who specifically use their bodies in their fight against false images of women. For 87-year-old plastic surgery advocate Joan Kron, every woman over 40 should take advantage of “facelift” options to become the best person they can be. For Marita, however, the question arises over the course of her journey: Is there a sexy way to combat sexism?

Director: Marita Neher
Script: Marita Neher
Camera: Lotta Kilian
Editing: Stephanie Kloss
Music: Hans Hafner
Editorial Staff: Kathrin Brinkmann, Sabine Bubeck-Paaz (ZDF/arte)
Production: Andrea Ufer
Station: arte