Darf ich Petruschka zu dir sagen?

35-year old ballet soloist Peter ends his career as a performance dancer and, on the occasion of his last stage performance, looks back on his career and his life. Peter′s retrospection is centred on the relationship with his professional and romantic partner Lotte, who he had once met at a joint performance. Peter remembers the landmarks of their love: their marriage, their child, and Lotte′s severe illness that threatened to end her career. In flashbacks, the film shows how the couple survived this crisis by working sacrificially to return to the stage and celebrate international success.

Directed by Karl-Heinz Heymann, Darf ich Petruschka zu dir sagen? leans on a strong ensemble — Frank Bey, Hannelore Bey, Frank Ciazynski — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1981.