Katja von Garnier

For Katja von Garnier, film can be a gateway to hope and the human spirit, to the magic of existence and the mysteries of the unknown. "Films are so powerful, I think they can have a lot of impact, a positive impact, and I’d like to be part of the positive impact," says the director.

Von Garnier, who has lived in Los Angeles for much of the past decade, is back in Berlin getting ready to shoot "Hectors Reise" ("Hector's Journey") this fall for Egoli Tossell Film. Based on the bestselling novel by François Lelord about a young psychiatrist who wants to find out why so many of his patients are unhappy and thus embarks on a globetrotting search for the secret to happiness, it was a story that grabbed von Garnier’s attention from the start.

"I was really intrigued by the subject matter and I just love it because it’s very timely. Hector is an awakening-of-conscious story. It doesn’t want to be a recipe for happiness, but I think it can inspire people to think about what makes them happy and maybe offers the possibility that in life, complex as it is, it’s possible to get to know ourselves better, and that’s a beginning."

It’s also the kind of story that von Garnier has been searching for. "I’m definitely looking for life- affirming topics, the triumph of the human spirit, stories that instill hope and make people laugh and cry. It’s something that I’ve grown more conscious of, it’s something that I want to do more and more of."

The power of the human spirit is something that has always fascinated von Garnier, especially in female characters. In her 1993 debut hit "Abgeschminkt" ("Making Up!") she offered a portrait of single women overcoming obstacles to their own happiness, while in 1997’s "Bandits", she followed four women inmates who form a rock band in prison and then escape to freedom. Likewise, her U.S. film debut, "Iron Jawed Angels", examined the life of American feminist Alice Paul, who led the campaign for women’s suffrage in the early part of the 20th century. "I’ve always been interested in carving out a path when it comes to looking at female characters, exploring certain kinds of characters that work against a stereotype and with a point of view from my own observations of a feminine spirit. I find myself drawn to it; it’s what I respond to."

Even in 2007’s "Blood & Chocolate", a young female protagonist, driven by forbidden love, struggles against the strict confines of a close-knit community of werewolves. The mystical love story kicked off the modern supernatural romance craze that followed a year later with the start of the hugely successful "Twilight" franchise, which explores many of the same themes as "Blood & Chocolate".

Like most filmmakers, von Garnier draws inspiration from a broad and eclectic range of cinematic works, from Milos Forman’s "Hair" to George Roy Hill’s "Butch Cassidy" and the "Sundance Kid". Among her more recent favorites are Danny Boyle’s "Slumdog Millionaire" , Niki Caro’s  "Whale Rider" and John Cameron’s "Avatar".

"'Avatar' blew me away for various reasons, less about the effects than what it was saying about that world. It makes me feel like I want to live in it. It had a strong impact. It’s like the beginning of a new era – it’s very inspiring."

Von Garnier points to one particular film, however, that not only captured her imagination but also remains a template for her own aspirations: Phil Alden Robinson’s "Field of Dreams".

"I’d love to find a movie like 'Field of Dreams' that has one foot in reality but also reaches into something unexplainable. I thought it was an amazing story." Intrigued by the genre of magic-realism, von Garnier says she’s eager to explore the mystical aspects of humanity – "the mystery of our existence, the mystery of why we’re here. I haven’t explored that fully but I have been looking for a great magic-realism story for a long time."

Although von Garnier slowed down her work schedule in recent years in order to make time for her two young children, she’s now eager to get back to making movies and shortening the gap between projects.

While finding that right project remains a challenge, returning to Germany has led to a number of potential opportunities. "It’s taken me time to pick the right one, to find the one that I can sink my teeth into and feel at home in the subject matter."

Working in Hollywood is never easy for filmmakers who are eager to maintain their own vision and it’s something von Garnier has also had to grapple with. "As a European filmmaker, you want to keep your own signature whilst being in a different culture. What I didn’t want to have happen is for that signature to be smoothed out."

Von Garnier did find an ideal project in "Iron Jawed Angels", a film she remains very proud of. "It was really wonderful – a dream experience."

Now back in Germany, von Garnier is finding it easier to develop her own ideas. "I have several ideas for movies that I want to move forward. Here I find myself just doing it. It’s interesting. I really would like to bridge both worlds. I’ve certainly learned a great deal during my time over there and still want to tap into those resources and at the same time tap into where I’m from and that European spirit and combine them."

She’s currently lining up a number of future projects beyond "Hectors Reise", including one film set in Ireland with mystical overtones. Another project in the works would reunite much of the cast of "Bandits". "It won’t be a follow-up to 'Bandits'. It will be a new thing but with a similar cast," she says. "I’ve had the desire for a while to do something with them together because our synergy is unique and creative and a lot of fun. I’ve been working on the script. It’s really exciting. I can’t wait."

Author: Ed Meza