Coming Out
“In the end, you have to follow your heart.”
Synopsis
Philipp, a closeted teacher, is dating a female colleague to keep up appearances. One night he stumbles into a gay bar and falls for a man. Transformed by this love, he is no longer afraid to face up to who he is.
Top Cast
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Matthias Freihof
Philipp Klarmann
Dagmar Manzel
Tanja
Dirk Kummer
Matthias
Michael Gwisdek
Achim
Werner Dissel
Älterer Homosexueller Walter
Gudrun Ritter
Frau Möllemann / Serviererin
Walfriede Schmitt
Philipps Mutter Frau Klarmann
Axel Wandtke
Jakob
Pierre Sanoussi-Bliss
Araber
René Schmidt
Junger Mann im Park
Thomas Gumpert
Larry
Ursula Staack
Üppige
Robert Hummel
Lutz
Horst Ziethen
Schmächtiger
Gertraud Kreissig
Schuldirektorin
Gudrun Okras
Annemarie
Dieter Okras
Egbert
Joachim Pape
Älterer Herr
Release History & Theatrical Window
Milan International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Heiner Carow
- Screenplay & Story
- Erika Richter, Wolfram Witt
- Original Score
- Stefan Carow
- Original Title
- Coming Out
- Country of Origin
- East Germany
- Spoken Languages
- German
- Runtime
- 1h 53m
- Production Studios
- DEFA-Studio für Spielfilme
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Heiner Carow
Erika Richter, Wolfram Witt
Stefan Carow
Martin Schlesinger
Evelyn Carow
Department Leadership Roster
Erika Richter
Writer
Regina Viertel
Costume Design
Georg Wratsch
Production Design
Heiner Carow
Director
Martin Schlesinger
Director of Photography
Stefan Carow
Original Music Composer
Wolfram Witt
Writer
Evelyn Carow
Editor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Coming Out.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Coming Out.
LGBTQ+
Auto-filled from Letterboxd lists
1989
1989
LBGT+
IMDb Archive
Best Worldwide (18+ Adult Sex Erotic) Movies (2021)
MovieLens[:10K]
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Frequently Asked Questions About Coming Out
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Coming Out about?
Philipp, a closeted teacher, is dating a female colleague to keep up appearances. One night he stumbles into a gay bar and falls for a man. Transformed by this love, he is no longer afraid to face up to who he is.
Who directed Coming Out?
Coming Out was directed by Heiner Carow.
Who stars in Coming Out?
The principal cast of Coming Out includes Matthias Freihof, Dagmar Manzel, Dirk Kummer, Michael Gwisdek, Werner Dissel.
When was Coming Out released and how long is it?
Coming Out was released in 1989 with a total runtime of 1h 53m.
Who composed the musical score for Coming Out?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Coming Out was composed by Stefan Carow.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Coming Out?
Coming Out holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.).