Erik & Erika

Erik & Erika retells the true events surrounding Erik(a) Schinegger, an alpine ski racer who rose to international fame as "Erika" before medical testing upended public perception. The movie begins with competition footage and media adoration, then shifts when a sex verification check identifies biological characteristics that contradict the gender the world has assigned. Accusations of fraud and scandal follow, and family, doctors, and sports officials get pulled into a painful, public reclassification. Rather than focusing on scandal alone, the film observes how the athlete copes with identity, privacy and the pressure of being a human case in the spotlight. Set in the social context of the 1970s, it depicts shifting attitudes toward gender and the cost of personal visibility.

Released in 2018, the film was directed by Reinhold Bilgeri and written from a concept by Dirk Kämper. It adapts the real Schinegger story for the screen, casting Markus Freistätter as Erik / Erika alongside Marianne Sägebrecht and Cornelius Obonya.

The movie received a modest theatrical rollout, primarily in German speaking regions and at film festivals. It did not generate widely reported box office totals, finding most of its audience through regional screenings and later home video or streaming availability.

Because it dramatizes a notorious 1970s sports scandal, Erik & Erika sparked renewed interest in the historical case and in conversations about gender verification in athletics. The film led to retrospectives in some European outlets and prompted discussion about how media and institutions treated intersex athletes decades ago in particular.

Critical response has been mixed, with praise for its sensitive portrayal of the main figure and some criticism of pacing or depth. Reviewers noted the film foregrounds questions of identity, privacy, and institutional power, showing how sports governance and public opinion can shape an individual's life and legacy over time.