Third Person” is a thought-provoking documentary that delves into the issue of gender equality in German politics. The film contrasts the inspiring story of Angela Merkel, who became the first woman chancellor of Germany, with the dire reality facing women in the country’s politics: they are still heavily underrepresented.
The documentary presents the experiences of women politicians who faced gender-based discrimination and bias, with examples ranging from Eliza Diekmann being criticized for being young and having children to the systemic barriers hindering women identified by Professor Silke Laskowski. The film also explores the controversial topic of quotas, with a failed attempt by Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer to establish one in Merkel’s conservative party contrasting with the Left Party’s success in reaching 54% representation by using a quota. “Third Person” ultimately asks the question: is creating a quota the solution to a problem that goes beyond the behavior of individual women?
