Robert has a black leather jacket, a rough look, and long hair — being an investigator, he disguises himself. This time he is paired with Leni, who is on parole from prison. Both are tasked with winning the trust of drug kingpin Victor in order to uncover a drug cartel. Through pretending, playing, and imitating, the two — he is gay, she is transgender — develop an ambiguous attraction.

This film steps outside what is clear and logical for the genre, many times with a guilty smile — this is at the core of German director Christoph Hochhäusler’s sensually witty crime drama about the fluidity of identities. Unravelling the thread of the story like a Möbius strip, occasionally tricking and dazzling the viewer, it is accompanied by a nostalgic soundtrack, the queer atmosphere of Fassbinder’s best films, and very memorable performances. Thea Ehre, who plays Leni, has won several awards for her performance, including the Silver Bear for Best Supporting Actress at this year’s Berlinale.