Wednesday, April 1, 11:05 p.m., and through November 27 on arte.tv
"The Second Sex" – In the Footsteps of Simone de Beauvoir

Documentary, France 2024

During a trip to the U.S. following in the footsteps of Simone de Beauvoir (1908–1986), later feminists such as Judith Butler and Françoise Vergès take a fresh look at the 1949 essay "The Second Sex."  

Sunday, April 5, 12:55 p.m. (TV broadcast only)
Murder on the Orient Express

Literary adaptation, UK 1974

On the luxurious “Orient Express,” businessman Samuel Ratchett is brutally murdered with a knife. The extravagant passengers and their bizarre backstories pose a mystery for Belgian detective Hercule Poirot (Albert Finney) ... - Opulent Agatha Christie adaptation (1974) with an all-star cast. Ingrid Bergman won an Oscar for her role. 

Monday, April 6, 2 p.m., and through April 20 on arte.tv
The Three Musketeers

Literary adaptation, UK/Spain/USA 1973

In 17th-century Paris, intrigue, deceit, and conspiracy reign. King Louis XIII has nearly lost all his power. He and his wife, Anne of Austria, can rely only on the loyalty of a handful of people... - Arguably the most famous Musketeers film of all time.

Since March 23 on arte.tv
New Adult – The Boom in Romance Literature

Contemporary History Documentary, ARTE/ZDF 2025

Steamy love scenes, dark desires—all wrapped in glitter and pastels: As “New Adult Romance,” the pulp romance genre is currently experiencing a boom the book market has long dreamed of. The target audience: young women, who make up the vast majority of the readership. But is this really just about shallow stories with plenty of eroticism? We look behind the cover and ask authors, readers, and scholars why their hearts beat for the romance genre. 

Until May 31, 2026, on arte.tv
Rilke – You Must Change Your Life

Cultural documentary, Germany 2025

Born in Prague in 1875, Rainer Maria Rilke became the European poet par excellence during his lifetime. Today, pop stars like Lady Gaga wear his verses as tattoos. The documentary tells the story of how Rilke struggled for years to complete his magnum opus, “Duino Elegies.” 

Until June 21, 2026, on arte.tv
Novel, Sex & Satire: "Portnoy’s Complaint"

Cultural documentary, F 2025

In 1969, Philip Roth’s novel “Portnoy’s Complaint” triggered a literary and social earthquake. This confessional novel, as scandalous as it is hilarious, breaks taboos regarding sexuality, guilt, and Jewish religion and culture. Condemned as obscene by some, hailed as a masterpiece by others, it divided the U.S. and turned its author into a controversial icon. But would the book also cause a scandal if it were published today? 

At arte.tv/literature, you can watch additional documentaries on scandalous novels in world literature, including “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe, “The Art of Joy” by Goliarda Sapienza, and “Scandalous Loves” by Choderlos de Laclos.