After the screening of Superworld, the Austrian contender for the Kingfisher Award, Jedrt Jež Furlan talked with one of the leading actors, Rainer Wöss, in CD’s Kosovel Hall. Wöss described Superworld  as ‘a big film about ordinary people with big problems’, and explained that the director Karl Markovics, widely known to the Slovenian audiences as inspector Ernst Stockinger from the popular TV series Inspector Rex, first wanted to cast him in a minor role. While studying for the role, an unexpected ‘chemistry’ developed between Wöss and the main actress Ulrike Beimpold and the crew decided unanimously that Wöss would be more suited for the role of the conventional husband in an unhappy marriage. Mainly a TV and theatre actor, Wöss confronted the challenge with a heavy heart, but Markovics reassured him that he should just “play himself – be yourself”. In Furlan’s opinion the film deals with happiness and the actor added that it was a film dealing more with religion than God. It’s a powerful work about interpersonal relationships; Wöss went on to explain that the film is a multilayered and incisive analysis of the gradual disintegration of a loveless marriage and the growing feeling of alienation, featuring powerful dialogues that “penetrate the depths of one’s soul”. The emotional estrangement of the partners who are no longer able to communicate with each other can signify a religious awakening, the enlightenment experienced by the lead female character and, according to Wöss, “a blessing that leads to catharsis”.

Wöss described Markovics as “a terrifying and very demanding director”, his high expectations probably arising from the fact that he’s an excellent actor himself. A sensitive director who gives careful attention to details, Markovics stops action because of the actors’ supposed lack of convincingness. Such discipline prevents the actors from slacking. In the end Wöss also spoke about his life in Berlin; years ago he was a contract actor and moved from one theatre engagement to the next. When discovering Berlin after years of precarious existence, he wondered why he had waited so long before taking that decisive step. He feels at home in Berlin and likes the metropolitan atmosphere and theatre life. In concluding, Wöss talked about his future projects and categorically denied having any directing or scriptwriting ambitions.

Written by Andraž Jež

Photo Iztok Dimc
{rss uri=http://picasaweb.google.com/data/feed/base/user/109749061448260716122/albumid/6216557555125544097?alt=rss&kind=photo&hl=sl&imgmax=d}