The story follows Querelle (Brad Davis), a handsome and enigmatic sailor who arrives in the port of Brest aboard the naval ship Le Vengeur. He seeks out a notorious brothel run by Lysiane (Jeanne Moreau), who is romantically involved with his older brother Robert (Hanno Pöschl). Querelle engages in a high-stakes dice game with Lysiane’s lover, Nono (Günther Kaufmann), where losing means submitting sexually. Through this initiation, Querelle descends into a world of power struggles, crime, and self-discovery.

Querelle soon becomes entangled with Lieutenant Seblon (Franco Nero), who harbors an intense and unspoken love for him. Meanwhile, he is drawn into a complex relationship with Gil (Hanno Pöschl, in a dual role), a fugitive accused of murder, further blurring the lines between passion and violence. Throughout the film, Querelle wrestles with his identity, alternating between dominance and submission, love and betrayal.

Fassbinder’s final film before his death, Querelle is known for its bold homoerotic themes, theatrical sets bathed in rich orange and blue hues, and poetic narration. The film eschews realism, instead embracing a hyper-stylized aesthetic that enhances its dreamlike and allegorical qualities.

While divisive upon release, Querelle has since gained recognition as an avant-garde classic, celebrated for its fearless depiction of queer desire and its deeply symbolic, almost mythological storytelling. A hypnotic and provocative experience, it remains one of Fassbinder’s most daring and unforgettable works.