Freibad is a German comedy-drama film directed by Pepe Danquart and produced by Thomas Häberle. The film explores the tensions and conflicts that arise in an open-air swimming pool for women in Germany. The pool allows women to swim topless and wear different types of swimwear, from bikinis to burkinis.
The film follows the story of the overwhelmed lifeguard who is unable to control the friction between the different groups of women who use the pool. When a group of completely veiled women discovers the pool, the tensions escalate even further. The question of who owns the bath, who makes the rules, and who owns the female body is at the center of the story.
When the lifeguard resigns, a man is hired as his successor, which leads to unexpected and unpredictable consequences. The man finds himself facing enormous challenges as he tries to navigate the complex social and cultural dynamics of the swimming pool. The film is a sharp critique of gender and identity politics in contemporary Germany, and it offers a humorous yet thought-provoking commentary on the complex issues that arise when different groups of people come together in public spaces.