28/06/2021 - At this year's First Steps Awards, the young German filmmaker received the prize for the best feature-length film

(© Nils Schwarz)

Taking place once a year are the First Steps Awards, destined to promote the new generation of German filmmakers in different categories, such as short films, screenwriting, cinematography and of course directing. Benjamin Martins was one of three nominees for the award going to the best feature length production. He has emerged victorious with his existential drama The Shadow Hour [+see also:
film review
interview: Benjamin Martins
film profile], which tells the story of Jochen Klepper, an author who was married to a Jewish woman during the Third Reich and decided to commit suicide in order to escape the concentration camps. The film is based on Klepper's diary. We talked to the director about his commitment to the story and the challenges he had to surmount in order to make the film.

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Cineuropa: Why was it so important for you to tell this story?
Benjamin Martins: I heard about author Jochen Klepper for the first time in 2009. His destiny moved me very much and stayed with me since then. There are two main reasons why I wanted to tell his story. Firstly, it was only when I read Klepper's diary of 1942 that I started to realise the dimension of suicides in these years. There were around twenty to thirty suicides of Jewish families per day. This is another form of annihilation of humans that most people are not aware of. For me, it was a shock and I wanted to give a voice to all who disappeared like this. The second reason is a more personal one. Klepper was a very religious person and he was afraid of what would come after death. These thoughts are very close to me and I wanted to deal with them in the film. 

How did you develop the visual concept?
It's my way to tell stories. Often, everyday stories are told as near to reality as possible, but I want to make visible what we can't see and what lies behind people. 

Where did you shoot the scenes that take place in Adolf Eichmann's office?
We searched for a long time. Since the film has a 1:1 square format, what was easy to construct in the studio for the apartment of the protagonist and his family, was more complicated for the office. Eventually, we found a space in the historical city archive of Speyer that fit. We actually shot most of the film in that area. 

How did you find the actors of your film? 
For some roles, we held castings. For others, I could rely on actors I knew from other productions. This was the case for Christoph Kaiser, for example, who plays the protagonist. Once I convinced him to get rid of his long beard, the resemblance with Klepper was even more clear. I already knew Beate Krist, who plays Klepper's wife, from other projects. 

What would the ideal audience for your film be?
Considering its political background, I fear it won't be seen by those who should see it. But for me, the film was a personal and philosophical journey, with which I wanted to find an answer to the question of what happens with life after death. I hope the film will be seen by people who have similar thoughts and that they can see that they are not alone with this kind of fear. 

What were the biggest challenges in making the film?
Actually, everything was challenging. At every phase of the production I thought, “this is now the biggest challenge”, but then there always was a new one. The making of the film was a big strenuous effort, on an organisational level as well as on an emotional one. 

What does the First Steps Award mean for you and your career?
The nomination was already great, since for several weeks I got much attention and had the chance to participate in industry events and talk to experts. It's great that people took interest in the film and me and I hope this opens more opportunities for my next film. This time, I did basically everything on my own, but being able to work with others makes a big difference.