The Hartmann family is making cinematic history. Since the theatrical release in November 2016, 3.2 million viewers in German cinemas have seen the comedy about refugee Diallo (Eric Kabongo), who finds a new home with the Hartmanns.
The Goethe-Institut Toronto is presenting the Toronto premiere, one night only, at the European Union Film Festival on November 17.
Not only is the family --made up of star cast Senta Berger, Heiner Lauterbach, Florian David Fitz, and Palina Rojinski-- plunged into comedic chaos, but also their wider world, with Elyas M’Barek, Uwe Ochsenknecht and others in well fleshed out supporting roles.
In an interview with Abendzeitung Munich, director Simon Verhoeven and producer Quirin Berg talk about the movie’s success and the Hartmanns’ future.
Welcome to Germany was not only the most successful German film in 2016, but also hit the three-million-visitor mark. What do you think of this achievement?
Quirin Berg: There were only four films in 2016 that had more viewers, three of which were major animated films and the fourth is a Harry Potter sequel. The next in line are the Hartmanns in
Welcome to Germany. This is really a wonderful achievement and it’s also important for German film as a whole. We have a great cinema culture in Germany with so many of our own assets and our own subject matter. It’s wonderful to see that we’re able to inspire so many viewers with our own hallmark and such an extraordinary film. And the Hartmanns are still doing very well in 2017. People talk about the movie and recommend it to others; it’s become a phenomenon. So it’s still worthwhile to go to the cinema.
How do you explain this huge success? What makes the movie so special and successful?
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Simon Verhoeven: The film tackles a controversial and difficult topic that concerns us all – and also worries manyof us – in very laid-back, politically incorrect and frontal comedic way. Apparently this has a somehow liberating effect on many viewers. The success is certainly also because the film is balanced and serves all sides. It’s no naïve “Refugees Welcome” fairy tale at all, it doesn’t ignore the problems of the welcome policy and people’s concerns.
I also think that, regardless of this topic, many viewers just think the movie’s damned funny and are also fully carried along emotionally by the Hartmann family. They identify with the family, with their different opinions and problems. We see that the film actually works for all generations, for the whole family, and for people with very different expectations of a movie. That’s just great.
The film is quite star-studded. What share do you think the film’s actors have in its success?
Berg: Yes, the ensemble is great and of course significantly contributes to its success. For one thing, because these actors all have their own fan base: people who see it as a sign of quality and have an increased interest in a movie when Senta Berger or Elyas M’Barek is part of the cast. And then, of course, we had the fantastic fortune of finding Eric Kabango during casting – he is a gift for the movie. On the other hand –and this is related, of course– it’s because these actors understand their craft in an outstanding way and we just love to see them in these roles. And it’s thanks to our writer and director Simon Verhoeven that these roles are so enjoyable.
Will we get to see a reunion with the Hartmanns and their neighbours?
Verhoeven: Of course we’ve become really fond of this family and we’d like to spend time with them again. But
Welcome to Germany is a very special movie and any sequel will have to be really worthy of it.
Abridged and translated with permission. Abendzeitung München, 9 January 2017
