16/08/2023 - The German director's first feature depicts an uneasy, but striking, story of two lonesome souls, a relationship rarely seen on the screen before

(© Frank Peters/Soquietfilms)

In the Cineasti del presente section of Locarno, dedicated to the new generation of filmmakers, Touched [+see also:
film review
interview: Claudia Rorarius
film profile] by German director Claudia Rorarius got an airing. We met up with the director, and asked her about her motivation to write this uneasy, but striking, story of two lonesome souls.

Cineuropa: Why did you want to tell this story?
Claudia Rorarius: My father lived with a physical disability. I was 14 years old when the disability took over owing to an illness. The situation took its toll on the whole family. This subject has been with me ever since. Above all, the subject of “touch” interested me. For the film, I described the character of the male protagonist as resembling that of my father, and I find myself in the female character, without the sexual dimension of the plot. I didn't want to tell a father-daughter story, but rather one of love and rejection, of the struggle between one's own shame and the desire for security. The film is an exaggeration of the elements I took from my relationship with my father. I wanted to use the movie to create a safe space for myself to talk about it. The subject of sexuality then came into play because it had also interested me for a long time. I sought advice for this from, among others, a friend who had experience in working with people with disabilities. That's how various ideas came about that then went into the script.

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Did you do any specific research concerning the medical side of the story?
I started working on the film in 2009, and did a lot of research and collected a lot of material. During this time, I decided not to work in a documentary-like way, but rather to use the fiction-feature form. Still, I wanted to retain the ingredient that, in a documentary, you are very close to the protagonists. For the script, I had expert advice – also during rehearsals – from a young man who is a tetraplegic. The actors were able to practise with him, especially the leading actress. A physiotherapist was also present during the shoot, as was a physical coach.

What were the most important characteristics that Maria should have?
She had to be a very brave person, someone who accepts and likes her body, and doesn't see it as a flaw. She also had to be someone who was looking for relationships and adventure. I develop a character in a dialogue between myself and the character itself. I try to get as close as possible to understanding life and emotions.

What about Alex?
That character had to have an openness to the subject, a physical presence, and also a desire to show any flaws. For me, the relationship between the two is a feminist statement: men should also be seen naked in the film, and women should be allowed to take what they need. Apart from that, I researched exactly what development someone goes through when an accident or illness suddenly puts them in a situation where they become disabled. Of course, this does not apply to all those people affected to the same extent. But that was important so that the actor could get into the character.

How did they prepare for the roles?
Isold Halldórudóttir, who is Icelandic, and Stavros Zafeiris, who is a Greek dancer, didn't have much time together, because Stavros joined just before shooting started. But we had a consultant for the physical aspects as well as the intimate ones. We worked out an intimacy protocol and did extensive preliminary work. Coordinators were present for all of the intimate scenes. We took as much time as we needed.

What did you intend to express with the final dancing scene between the two?
It had to be a reflection of the relationship, like an epilogue to the story. I conceived the film itself as a kind of choreography, in which not only the actual dance movements, but also the care activities, would be in sync. To improve that aspect of the film, I used the method of kinaesthesia.

What would you like the audience to take away from the movie?
It is a film that does not claim to depict all disabled people. It's the story of this man in this specific phase of his life. It was important to me that the roles would be cast authentically. In the process, I realised how difficult it is to find disabled actors. It was sobering to see that there are so few. But the feminist aspect of the story is even more important to me when it comes to viewing habits regarding the female body in film.