Anan_Chan-on

Equality – it’s always about humanity!

August Diehl & Bruno Alexander are not only both nominated for a Lola in the Best Actor category, they also embody a modern image of masculinity that transcends all power-related clichés. BUNTE sat down with them for a chat.

One of them won the German Film Award 27 years ago with his very first film and is regarded as one of the most versatile actors of his generation. The other is currently breaking popularity records with his debut performance. August Diehl, 50, and Bruno Alexander, 26, are both nominated for a Lola. Two generations, two completely different roles and some thought-provoking reflections on power, humanity and attitude.

Do you actually know each other?

A: We shook hands for the first time today. In the underground car park.

B: We were just chilling there. Very glamorous.

Do you see yourselves as rivals?

A: Not at all. Of course there’s that whole game – nomination, award, suspense. But ultimately, it’s not a sport. I’m just glad it’s generating attention.

B: I don’t see August as a rival. More as part of the same moment.

Mr Diehl, your role is extremely dark – how do you approach a character like the Nazi criminal Josef Mengele?

The journey to get there was harder than the filming itself. The decision to do it was the real process. During filming, I try not to get too analytical, but rather to feel what’s happening. We still know very little about Josef Mengele. Neither where exactly, nor how long he was in hiding, nor about his death. Only his skull, with its gapped teeth, was discovered. That was the proof that he was dead.

Would you take on a role like that?

B: I would look at it very carefully. For me, what matters less is what I play, but rather with whom and how. Any role can be interesting.

This role played by Joachim Meyerhoff, for which you’ve been nominated, is the exact opposite – very empathetic.

B: Yes, I only really understood a lot of it once I’d seen the whole film. Especially this theme of ‘gaps’. >

>What value gaps hold. That life isn’t just about loss, but also about distance from oneself or from one’s own dreams. That perhaps you don’t necessarily have to fill gaps. But rather accept them. The more you fill them, the more they open up.

Have these very different male characters also influenced your view of modern masculinity?

A: To be honest, I have little interest in debates like that. I think it makes more sense to talk about humanity than about masculinity or femininity. These categories often lead down dead ends.

B: It does concern me. I find many forms of masculinity – particularly those that are instilled through upbringing – extremely problematic. Patriarchy is like a cancer that holds things back and nips processes in the bud. I try to deal with it sensitively and talk to friends a lot.

Does external pressure, such as on social media, play a role?

A: That’s exactly what I consciously distance myself from. There are constant waves of debate. If you let yourself get drawn into every single one, you waste energy that could be spent on what’s really important to you.

B: I don’t think you can completely withdraw from it. Especially when talking to friends, you realise how important the issue is.

A: I’m just remembering a casting where I had to appear as a woman, or rather as a trans figure. In high heels, a short skirt and a wig. Suddenly I felt how people’s perception of me changed. How I was being looked at and assessed. For the first time, I understood how a woman must feel. It became clear: toxic masculinity exists. And that power dynamics operate very subtly. That many differences are barely visible in everyday life – yet have an enormous impact.

Is this a structural problem?

Whoever has the most power actually bears the greatest responsibility for upholding humanity. Yet it is precisely there that the greatest shortcomings often arise. At the same time, I believe we are making progress. A very painful, but necessary process. The fact that we are even talking about it is progress in itself. A hundred years ago, equality wasn’t even on the agenda. Today, it’s all entered the public consciousness. I was, for example, incredibly impressed by the early days of the Me Too movement, when so many women stood up and fought back.

So is there cause for optimism?

Yes – despite everything. Or perhaps precisely because of it.

Don’t you feel there’s a fierce backlash going on right now?

B: Many men feel under attack; that’s why they should just step back for a moment or finally speak up. Anyone who remains silent on issues like violence is supporting the system. Of course, one shouldn’t see everything in black and white, but those who are destroying the world are always men.

A: The world has always been dominated by men. I’m not talking about a hundred years ago. How long ago was it that marital rape was still legal? But today we’re shocked by it. That’s what I mean by progress.

You’re not a power-hungry person, Mr Diehl, are you?

No, I’ve never really been interested in power. That’s why I have absolutely no understanding of it.

What can you learn from each other?

B: Actually, I’ve learnt from August that I should be even happier about the nomination, because he wasn’t happy enough at the time and regretted it for a long time. I won’t take it for granted, because it’s a great honour.