Biography
Monika Treut was born on April 6, 1954 in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia, in what was then West Germany. She attended high school at an all-girls state school. She studied German and Political Science at university. After passing the state examination she graduated in 1978.
During her studies at university in the mid-1970s she began working with video. She worked as a media associate in Marburg, Frankfurt, and Berlin. In 1984, Treut earned her doctorate degree in philology from the University of Marburg. That same year she founded Hyena Filmproduktion together with Elfi Mikesch, and began producing, writing, and directing independent feature films. The following year Treut made her feature film debut with Seduction: The Cruel Woman, a film that explored sadomasochistic sex practices. Treut also spent time in America during the 1980s. Traveling and working in San Fancisco and New York City, Treut met and worked with Annie Sprinkle and Werner Schroeter while producing some of her own films. These relationships led to the films Annie (documentary short), My Father is Coming and Encounter with Werner Schroeter (documentary short).
Famous for her queer films, Treut also makes documentaries. Her films have explored many interests around the world. The subject matter ranges from film to film-whither it is queer-themed or about one woman's efforts to help street kids in Rio de Janeiro or about the culinary arts of Taiwan-her documentaries find interesting, real people to focus on.
Throughout her film career Treut has been involved in several aspects of filmmaking including: acting, directing, producing, writing, filming, and editing. Her film catalogue includes over 20 films, in both her native German, as well as English, languages.
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