IN CONVERSATION WITH SONKE WORTMANN PART ONE

IN CONVERSATION WITH SÖNKE WORTMANN: GUEST OF THE FESTIVAL OF GERMAN FILM 2010 PART ONE

I recorded an interview with Sönke a few days before he was planning to board a plane (volcanic ash notwithstanding) and visit Australia for the first time, as a special guest of the 9th Festival of German Film.
I asked about how it came about that he was able to direct the film Die Päpstin/Pope Joan, a big budget international German funded production.

SW: The novel by Donna Cross was very popular in Germany, but I didn’t read it (12 years later) until I was contacted by the producers of the film who wanted me to direct it. As soon as I read it I knew it would make a good film. It is such an intriguing story with international appeal so I was pleased to be able to make it. Originally Volker Schlondorff was going to direct the film, but the script was never right. Then he gave up on the film and the producers asked me to direct it. I had to rework the script with 7 screenwriters until we got it right. Donna acted as an adviser on the film.

PK: Was Johanna Wokalek your first choice in the lead role?

SW: She has an excellent reputation in Viennese theatre and I felt she was right for the role. I did consider asking Cate Blanchett, who I knew had played male/female roles successfully, but I thought she would be far too busy. Johanna is perfect in the role.
(As an aside, Franka Potente was also under consideration for the Pope Joan role, but she was unavailable)

PK: Speaking of Australians though, you did choose David Wenham for a key role. How did that come about?

SW: I admired his performances in The Boys, which played at the Berlinale, as well as The Lord of the Rings trilogy and an Australian Western I saw him in written by Nick Cave (The Proposition).
Also I very much liked John Goodman in The Big Lebowski and he fitted perfectly the physical description of The Pope in the book.

PK: Did you see the 1972 version of the story (Pope Joan, a UK Production directed by Michael Anderson and starring Liv Ullmann, Franco Nero, Maximillian Schell and Olivia de Havilland)?

SW: Of course I did, it is essential to fully prepare for such a big movie by doing research. Let’s say I had to improve on that version, which I felt was boring and typical of films made in the 1970s.

Critics note: The 1972 version is set in both the 9th Century and contemporary times and involves a woman “reincarnated” through psychoanalytic memories from the 9th Century. The film is a turgid, occasionally violent, mostly inconsistent drama which proved to be a film that definitely required a remake!

PK: How successful was your film in Germany?

SW: Very successful, it sold almost 3 million tickets, and that was because of the novel’s popularity and the good cast in my film.

(Note: at time of writing the film was nominated for three 2010 German Film Awards)

PK: Were there any protests by Catholics, or any criticisms of the film from a religious perspective?

SW: The film certainly goes against Catholic teaching related to women’s role in the Church, and that God’s will only allows men in religious roles, with the Pope chosen by God (which excludes women). But there were no protests; I think they learned from the experience of protesting at (the anti-semitic) Passion of the Christ (Mel Gibson’s film) which actually increased the box-office takings for that film.

PK: Also playing in this year’s Festival of German film is Der Bewegte Mann/Maybe Maybe Not which was a nice change of image for Til Schweiger.

SW: Yes, it was before he became a major international star but he was very happy with the story. The film is now 15 years old, and turned out to be the most popular film screened in Germany in the 90s. It was only a small film, and a comedy, but it was liked by so many people.