Max on ZDFâs breakfast show Volle Kanne - to talk about âEtwas ganz Besonderesâ (Home Stories) and to have some breakfast⌠highlights:
About the reception of the film so far:
Max: Yes. Well, very good. Now, of course, itâs being released for the first time. Weâve had another premiere in Istanbul. That was quite interesting too, because the film is, after all, a German story and very specific. I mean, really. I was actually surprised that the reaction was like that. I mean, itâs a universal film, a family film, Iâd say. And I think that works in any language.
Max: I think itâs very much about identity. Especially with this talent show, where itâs always so much about this image campaign. I mean, people have to think about what they want to reveal about themselves â or rather, what they should convey to the audience, what the audience should think and feel about them. And I think thatâs a lovely expression of whatâs going on in todayâs society, in a way â that everything is marketed, sensationalised and, as a result, I feel sometimes a bit exploited. I mean, even football matches are somehow imbued with a very personal story, so that people can identify with them a bit more and get even more caught up in the excitement.
Thoughts on fast fashion and consumption:
Max: Well, if you want to buy something, you might need to think it over again and ask yourself whether you really need it. Take my thing with trainers, for example â how I somehow felt I needed loads of trainers, or thought I needed them. So I made a rule for myself to just sleep on it for two or three nights. Maybe. And if Iâm still thinking about it then, okay. And how many do I already have? How many do I really need? What do I need them for? And so on? So itâs perhaps about approaching it a bit more consciously, rather than just giving in to impulse.
Did he take mementos from the set? Like Napola?
Max: No, no, thatâs the theatre costume store. I mean, there are costumes there that include uniforms, so to speak, or bits and pieces that you wouldnât want to go out of your way to buy yourself; theyâre made and are then available there for other productions as well.
(But on other film sets) Yes, sometimes. Especially when the clothes fit really well and I like them, then Iâll take a few things home.
What makes âHome Storiesâ special?
Max: What makes it so special? Itâs a universal theme that everyone relates to in their own way. And yes, I think there are loads of themes in there. I mean, itâs not the sort of film youâd categorise as just a family film, but rather a German story â which is, of course, very important â but told in a very subtle way. And, um, yes, straight out of real life, you could say. Iâd say thatâs partly because itâs directed in a very improvisational way,
Iâd say. And itâs an ensemble film. So, the fact that there are lots of perspectives perhaps makes it easier to identify with it. I mean, you donât just follow one character; you get different perspectives on a theme or several themes. And that, of course, means thereâs something in it for everyone.
Casting - do people say âI want Max Riemelt in itâ?
Max: Well, I bring more to the table than just my acting experience. Itâs obviously about the person, the person behind the role as well. So itâs not just a question of whether she can make use of that, or whether we get on. Iâm not just someone who lends their face to the role; itâs also about not just working together, but really getting to know one another in a certain way, and then managing to convey more in the film than just a performance. Itâs always the case that, no matter how technically accomplished a performance is in a film, the question is whether it moves you or not. And Eva (the director) had quite clearly set out to tell a story about a family. And thatâs all about connections.
The directorâs approach and filming âHome Storiesâ
Max: There was a script, definitely. I mean, itâs just a framework to start with anyway â something to use as a guide. But the thing is, Eva also likes to improvise. Or rather, sheâs open to the ideas that we might bring to the table. So, you tend to see it more as gathering material. Because ultimately, the film comes together on the editing desk.
So when youâre filming, you gather loads of material. Perhaps differentâwell, letâs call them âmoodsâ. You can play out a conflict scene in a relatively subdued way, but you can also let it escalate completely. And then you just see where it goes, what fits best, and then on the editing desk the final decision is made on how you actually want to show the scene in the film. And thatâs the exciting bit â that sometimes you just let the camera run, so you donât always have to start from scratch, and then perhaps you even forget about the camera whilst acting and are truly in the moment. And I think those are the moments that are truly precious â when something is actually happening and youâre not worrying about âHow am I coming across right now?â or âAm I in the right position?â â in other words, when thereâs genuine spontaneity and real emotions. And that comes across in the film.
(Full interview available on ZDF Mediathek)
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