Breaking taboos on TV

Salzburg woman shoots series about masturbation addiction

Schmeller (right) slips into the role of the sex-addicted therapist herself in the series.(Bild: „Der kleine Tod“/Emily Schmeller)

She addresses things directly: Salzburg filmmaker Emily Schmeller is currently launching her first comedy series on the streaming service Joyn. At the center of the five-part series: a therapist addicted to masturbation and her special path to recovery.

Schmeller slipped into the leading role in the fictional series herself, wrote the script and co-produced the project. A lot of effort, but it now seems to have paid off: "We got the project off the ground independently of the broadcaster and subsequently sold the license to Joyn," says the Salzburg native with obvious pride.

Humor helps with sensitive topics
"Der kleine Tod" tells the story of Margarete Mei, a depressive psychotherapist with a masturbation addiction, who unexpectedly finds Lucky, a dog with a gambling addiction, on her doorstep. What begins as a coincidence turns into an emotional and turbulent journey in which Lucky serves as a mirror for Margarete's own addictions. With biting humor and surprising insights, the dog helps her face her past and her fears.

In addition to breaking taboos, which Schmeller addresses in her film adaptation, the Salzburg native also focuses on the topic of diversity: "The special thing about the comedy series is that five episodes, each 5-7 minutes long, feature a different dialect - from Tyrolean to Swabian and Upper Austrian to even Swiss German."

"Der kleine Tod" can now be streamed on Joyn Austria.