Christian Schwochow – Je Suis Karl #Berlinale2021

March 5, 2021

Christian Schwochow - Je Suis Karl #Berlinale2021 fredfilmradio

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PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Christian Schwochow, Director of the film Je Suis Karl.

A conversation with German filmmaker Christian Schwochow, director of Je Suis Karl, a Special Gala film of the 2021 Berlin International Film Festival. Je Suis Karl explores the connection between the new generation and the rise of alt-right European ideas. In this interview, we talk about the origins of his collaboration with Thomas Wendrich and he also shares his thoughts on the burgeoning alt-right ideals, as well as whether he is a believer in Europeanist ideals. He also talks about integrating new media within his filmmaking style and shares with us his hopes that the film will be viewed by a young audience of the same age range as its protagonists.

Je Suis Karl: Somewhere in Berlin. But not just any time, this is here and now. A postman delivers a parcel and, soon afterwards, everything changes. A terrorist attack rocks a family to the core. Maxi- who loses her mother, her brothers and her home – tries to look forward, but is still deeply insecure. Nothing seems to work. Her father Alex is as traumatised as she is. The certainties of the past have been wiped out and the grief that comes with their loss obscures everything. Meeting another young person seems to help Maxi. Karl liberates her from her paralysis and urges her to conquer her fear. He has organised a meeting of European students who are looking for solutions to the catastrophic situation on the continent. The task he assigns Maxi could be the deciding factor in the success of a grand plan. By joining forces with Karl, Maxi is dancing on a knife edge: today in Berlin, tomorrow in Prague, soon in Strasbourg and eventually all over Europe. Je suis Karl – a political takeover.

Written by: fredfilmradio

Berlinale Christian Schwochow Je Suis Karl Matt Micucci