When making a movie, the first thing I think about is the "place". "Light of Hope" Director Thomas Stuber [Director's Interview Vol.25]

A new relationship between machines and humans

Q: The relationship between humans and machines such as forklifts is different from that in Chaplin's " Modern Times " (1936) or Fritz Lang's " Metropolis " (27), and it seems to me that it is portrayed with a melancholy tone.

Stuber (Interpreter): I'm a melancholic guy (laughs). I'm very interested in the feeling of loneliness you get when you're alone in a crowd. I'm currently writing the script for my next film alone in my hotel room in Shibuya, and the sight of the crowds of people spreading out below my window makes me feel lonely.

What I really like about the relationship between machines and humans is that the forklift is doing well or not, as if in sync with Christian's feelings. When Marion isn't looking at it, the forklift almost drops the crate of beer it's holding, and I really like how the machine itself seems to be in sync with human emotions. I think we can see the relationship between humans and machines in Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) in a similar way. However, this time it's not a large space like space, but a small space like a supermarket.

In the case of a supermarket, I wasn't interested in showing it during the day when there are customers, but rather was conscious of showing only the backstage area. I intended to depict consumption and capitalism in a multi-layered structure from the perspective of the people who work there.

Q: I thought that the melancholy and atmosphere created by Peter Kurt, who played Bruno, was a very important element in this film. Peter also appeared in your previous film, but what is his appeal?

Stuber: Actually, Bruno is the main character of the story, and all the stories in the play are connected to him. He is a father figure and a mentor to Christian. He also gives us information about Marion.

I was really impressed with Peter in the previous film, "Heavyweight Heart," and when I asked him to appear again, he initially declined. Still, I strongly asked him, "Please!" and he managed to appear. He has a very East German side to him, and he has a big body and a big heart. And no matter how tough he looks, he has eyes that can't hide the warmth of his heart. There are some actors who are "the type that the camera falls in love with," and this quality that he himself possesses was a perfect fit for this story of an Outsider. And I think it drew him into the depths of the character he played.

Just as Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese were able to meet, I was able to meet Peter among many actors. I think of my relationship with him as being like that.

Q: I look forward to seeing more duos like De Niro and Scorsese in the future.

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Director: Thomas Stuber

Born in 1981 in Leipzig, the former East Germany.

2012 Novel "Of Dogs and Horses" based on the novel by Clemens Meyer

2015 Feature film "Heavyweight Heart" Screenplay: Clemens Meyer

2017 Feature film "The Light of Hope" Original story and screenplay: Clemens Meyer

Interview and text: Fumio Koda

Editorial staff and writer for CINEMORE. My favorite movies are ``The Goonies'' and ``Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.'' My recent favorites are 4K digitally remastered classics by Akira Kurosawa and Yasujiro Ozu.

"Light of Hope"

Released April 5th at Bunkamura Le Cinema and other theaters nationwide

Official website: http://kibou-akari.ayapro.ne.jp/

(c) 2018 Sommerhaus Filmproduktion GmbH