Benjamin Heisenberg

In quantum physics, "Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Relation" states that there is a basic limit to the accuracy with which two complementary qualities of a particle can be measured simultaneously. Even though Nobel Prize winner Werner Heisenberg died only two years after the birth of his grandson Benjamin, he does seem to have bequeathed him some doubt in the possibility of objectiveness. The more meticulously this thoughtful realist sounds out modern reality in his films, and the closer he comes to his characters in the process, the more the viewer’s uncertainty grows. Again and again, Heisenberg’s major feature films "Schläfer" ("Sleeper", 2005) and "Der Räuber" ("The Robber", 2010) compel us to rethink our view of what’s going on. In a masterly way, Heisenberg looks beyond the surface and generates his own inner tension, which opens up and extends the conventions of the thriller genre.

The fascination of Heisenberg’s cinema is the impossibility of assuming anything about humanity and its complexity. In "Schläfer", a scientist with a background of migration is suspected of terrorism. In "Der Räuber", a sportsman commits armed robbery repeatedly although he has no interest in his illegal gains. Heisenberg’s films confront us with experimental set-ups – but we are the objects of the experiment. We only have a chance to grasp the plots when we learn to abandon some of the prejudices that genre cinema has taught us.

"The whole thing comes from my view of the world," says the 37-year-old filmmaker, "according to which even people that you love very much and respect do things that astonish you. I am interested in these inconsistencies of the psyche and our patterns of behavior. I think that this is very important to a realistic assessment of the world, and I am committed to that. Naturally, you have to keep some faith in the world or a happy kind of life that you would like to live. But it is also important not to idealize people too much. Otherwise, life is going to disappoint you over and over again."

In "Schläfer", a disturbing feeling creeps over the viewer, like a well-made science fiction film. Where have we ended up – in the prosperous dictatorships of "Farenheit 451" or "Minority Report", or in a world that looks like ours but has an intact state security system? The political courage of Heisenberg’s vision is revealed because he does not distinguish between secret service methods. This is all a matter of conspiracies, of sowing suspicion and envy, and poisoning friendship for the purpose of espionage. It is the story’s contemporary quality that makes the reference to Germany’s worst times so obvious.

"Basically, I was interested in telling a film story about normal life within a democratic structure," the director and screenplay author admits. "And about the possibility of being affected by intrigue and espionage in that kind of structure, as well. While writing the screenplay, it was also clear to me that it had a lot to do with the Stasi. After all, my film is all about spying on people as everyday business."

The short film "Die Gelegenheit" (“The Opportunity”), made during his course at Munich’s University of Television & Film (HFF/M), already evidenced his intense interest in the subject. Here, a seemingly likeable young man surprisingly turns into an informer in order to damage a homosexual who had once attempted to initiate a relationship with him.

Heisenberg: "I am interested in experimenting with the viewer: How does his perception change when you change the situation or the behavior of a character? In my films the viewer’s identification with the character is often disturbed, either by the story, when he acts in a way that we don’t actually want him to, or by the aesthetics: by his position in space or the camera angle. This means that the viewer also needs to rethink his relation to the film."

Heisenberg came to the cinema as a fine artist. Immediately before his course at the HFF/M, he had completed training as a sculptor at the Academy of Art, also in Munich. Today, he is equally active on the art and the film scenes. This allies him with artists such as Julian Schnabel, Steve McQueen or Shirin Neshat. "Talking about those who influenced me artistically or aesthetically, in fact the art academy made more of an impact than the film academy. Professor Metzel was capable of promoting a huge diversity of students with a wide range of styles and approaches, all working alongside each other. Sometimes, however, he did confront us with the differences quite forcefully. At the film academy, later on, it was more a matter of technology or financing, the orientation was more practical."

Besides art and the cinema, the third pillar of Heisenberg’s work is the internationally respected film magazine Revolver, which he established together with his fellow directors Christoph Hochhäusler and Sebastian Kutzli.

"I believe that debate with film helps us all to go on learning more. The more exchange there is among filmmakers and film experts, the better the films being made. That is why we founded Revolver: as a definition of position and a forum for a theory of practice. Film critics are a very important part of this, as they have the background but they see films in an unbiased way, not simply within the contexts of production."

Revolver is regarded as an important forum of the "Berlin School" – a group of filmmakers with similar artistic intent, although this affinity is difficult to define. At international festivals, the term long ago became a seal of quality for young artistic film – even though most German cinemagoers probably don’t know what to make of it.

But what exactly is this "Berlin School", whose most prominent representatives include Benjamin Heisenberg – although he was born in Tübingen, studied in Munich, won the Austrian Film Award with "Der Räuber", and lives with his family in Switzerland? Originally, the "'Berlin School' was a term used for people who had studied in Berlin," Heisenberg tells me. Obvious explanation. "But then more and more people were included; those who had lived in Berlin for some time, at least, because there was a sense of shared aesthetic and personal aims. And so a group of people came together who were interested in a specific type of realism. It is actually more of a phenomenon than a school."

In Heisenberg’s view it is their artistic signature that makes these filmmakers especially appreciated abroad: "I believe that the films’ personal view means you can get to grips with them in all sorts of different contexts, because you understand the person behind them. And, of course, these films make an effort to say something about life and such universal problems connect us across the cultures. And the problem faced by the German comedy mainstream is that it uses a type of humor that people abroad don’t find very funny."

Which means we can look forward eagerly to Heisenberg’s latest project – since it is a comedy entitled "Ole Kohle Kurt". "I hope it will be funny and will perhaps recapture something of Ionesco or Beckett. That would be new in German cinema."

Author: Daniel Kothenschulte