Die heilige Hure (1997)

Dr. Marie Steiner is a rising theology lecturer, and she is frustrated by the fact that, as a woman, she is not allowed to become a priest in the Church. She researches the connection between sexuality and the Bible, which repeatedly rubs her colleagues the wrong way and puts her upcoming professorship in jeopardy. Through her studies, she has developed some contacts in the BDSM scene. At the same time, because she is always willing to listen to her students and the people around her, she learns that the young student Gudrun has been impregnated by a priest, though she does not know which one. She also advises Uli Schneider, one of her students, who is gay and about to be ordained, to choose love rather than automatically opting for the priesthood. This triggers an inner conflict that drives him to suicide, and her colleagues blame Steiner for his death. At the same time, Marie meets Paul Gruber, an art restorer who is skeptical about Jesus and grows closer to her. He condemns the Church's hypocrisy and its lack of love. He kisses Marie, and the two have sex so violently that she is left with several cuts and wounds. Marie is confused, wondering why she feels such intense love despite the pain. Later, she spends an entire weekend with him filled with sex. Paul confesses that he is jealous because she does not love him as much as she loves Jesus. But because he wants to possess her, he tattoos her buttocks. This emboldens her so much that she takes her students on an excursion into the red-light district to visit Carola, a dominatrix. Meanwhile, Stefan is already scheming to become professor himself instead of Marie. When Stefan then discovers the BDSM activities between Gruber and Marie, he wants to confront Gruber. But the two get into a fight, which Gruber wins, though it also leads him to decide to break up with Marie. Marie, however, cannot let go of Gruber, so she goes to see him at night and is shocked to discover that he is a family man with a wife and child. Her illusion of love, truth, and Gruber is shattered. In her distress, she goes to Carola, who explains her own worldview to her: all men are liars, and redemption can only be found through punishment. As a demonstration, Marie is allowed to whip a BDSM client, imagining that he is Gruber. It clearly does her good, and she therefore wants to reconcile with Gruber. But he rejects her. Meanwhile, Stefan betrays her once and for all, and is ultimately appointed professor himself. Marie learns not only that Gudrun died while trying to have an abortion, but also that Stefan was the child's father. She is furious that only men are allowed to become priests in the Church, even though they all lie. When she also learns that Gruber beats his wife, she has had enough. Marie goes to see Gruber and reveals herself as a dominatrix. He is excited. But when she whips him and forces him to lick her boots, he realizes that she came only to humiliate him for beating his wife. His wife appears in the same room, and Marie hands the power over to her, so that Gruber will never beat her again. From then on, Marie feels like a servant of God. When Stefan is about to give his inaugural address at the priestly ordination, he is so overcome by guilt that he publicly confesses and repents for his relationship with Gudrun and his schemes against Marie. He begins whipping himself. Marie rushes to the pulpit, stops him, and protects him. Through this act, everyone recognizes that Marie has a good soul and that anyone can be forgiven.