On the 29th.Yesnuary the "Snowdance" film festival starts in Landsberg, for the second time under Corona conditions.Organizer Tom Bohn has announced that it will give up the Bavarian location and criticize the state government.
In the interview, the director also speaks (including "crime scene") about his role in the "Digorate everything", vaccination obligation on the set and why he no longer wants to work for public service broadcasters.
Mr. Bohn, your film festival "Snowdance" starts in Landsberg on Saturday.Is it easier or more difficult to organize such a festival in the second year under Corona conditions?
Tom Bohn: more difficult.In 2021 we had clarity about the applicable measures several weeks before the festival and were able to adjust to it.This year we lack this certainty.Three days ago we calculated with 25 percent occupancy, recently we know that it has been increased to 50 percent.We get 130 spectators in the Landsberger Stadttheater, at 270 seats.On the one hand, this is financially problematic, since we also organize the festival online in parallel, which creates additional costs.On the other hand, I see that many people are currently closely sitting in restaurants or hundreds of hundreds without a mask at the ski lift in Garmisch, while we have limitation and the distance rule and mask requirement, in a theater that has top ventilation.This is so absurd that I wonder: have the politically responsible people realize how badly culture is, how much we are fighting to keep us afloat?Why is it so difficult for cultural organizers?Many people no longer understand that, who were still behind the government course a year ago.
Tom Bohn: "You can't work with this leap"
You have announced that the festival will no longer take place in Bavaria in the future.So was the Free State of the problem?
Yes.The decisive factor for us was the moment when the Bavarian state government canceled the Christmas markets last December, two days before the opening.You cannot work with this serve, if we get such a short -term cancellation, we are bankrupt.There seem to be other state governments, especially in the north of Germany.
And Corona aids couldn't make up for the lack of predictability?
No, my tax advisor immediately made it clear to me that our chances of it are very low.We largely organize the festival with freelancers, work "from the Lamäng", so to speak, without leaning on state structures.This way of working of the free cultural scene is not understood in Bavaria.
You do not fundamentally reject corona measures, do you?
No, Corona is a dangerous virus, especially for the vulnerable groups.Nevertheless, the measures must be relatively, fair and understandable.And I do not have the feeling, but I see that the responsible regulations come up.
Unpolved people is now denied a visit to the cinema.Do you have abdominal pain with it?
I am for the vaccination, but I have a problem with discriminated against people who decide differently.The cohesion of society is elementary, especially in pandemic.And it is promoted by culture by the joint experience of cultural offers.I would therefore always prefer to let go of unvaccinated with a test instead of excluding them.After all, the test - if I can trust what the leading virologists say - is an important statement as to whether a person is contagious or not.As far as our festival is concerned, I have less abdominal pain than that we also show the films online, not only for unvaccinated but also for those who are afraid to get infected.
There are now cases in which unvaccinated actors were excluded from film productions.Do you consider such a measure to be justifiable?
No not at all.If actors can be tested every day and are healthy, they should of course be able to turn.Also run around with a mask behind the camera on the set.So it was done when the vaccination was not there and I can't remember that this would have led to major problems.At the moment I am giving a course for unemployed actors in Berlin at a state -sponsored institution, with whom I also turn to integrate it again.A very talented actress, who has now been excluded from this course, took part in this because she is un forelive.Although I am a friend of vaccination, that touched me very much.I didn't find that right.
At the moment, politicians are debating an obligation to vaccinate, the pressure on unvaccinated is increasing.
I don't understand this pressure, I don't find it liberal and also not democratic.Of course, the procedure "only with vaccination" has advantages, but we live in a democratic country in which the opinions and the existence of minorities must also be observed.At least that's my basic understanding of democracy.If someone has a different opinion on this matter that affects their own body, I respect that.Especially as we know, as well as vaccinated, a risk of infection can also be used.
You are well networked in the film scene.What mood do you perceive under the creative at the moment?
I notice that a very many carry a strong disappointment with them, that culture in this society obviously has such a low status and is neglected.Culture is systematic, but that is probably not clear to many citizens and politicians.It is systemically relevant because without it damage to our society.Culture is an incredibly good and, above all, mature way to overcome divisions, disagreements or laziness.During the experience of cultural programs, a wide variety of people come together, the AfD voter sits alongside the autonomous, bourgeois next to Jusos and so on, and everyone looks at what is put up for discussion by creative people.This exchange is now lost and thus also the possibility of a feeling of togetherness.Instead of going to the cinema, theater or an exhibition, many people on social media are now romping out, where the fronts harden much faster than when you face your face.
Till Brönner reported in an interview about emigration from the music industry and also about suicide.Have you had similar experiences in the film company?
Yes. Eine Kollegin, mit der ich beim Festival zusammengearbeitet habe, hat sich vor einem Yeshr das Leben genommen, in der "Welt" habe ich darüber einen Artikel geschrieben.That was a big shock for me.I also know some people who emigrated, for example to South America.A directorial colleague who was at the beginning of a promising career now lives in Sweden.
Sie haben im vergangenen Yeshr an der Aktion von Filmschaffenden "Alles dicht machen" mitgewirkt ...
I didn't turn any of the videos myself, but I was involved in the networking of those involved.
What do you counter the sometimes very harsh criticism of this project?
Video#allesdichtmachenYesn Josef Liefers gibt zu: "Habe keine saubere Recherche gemacht"
With two or three films I had problems, I found them too violent.Still, I don't judge them.Culture must be allowed to provoke, this is a very important aspect.I am a big supporter of Joseph Beuys, provocative artists like him or Pina Bausch in Wuppertal made me in the first place to become creative myself.I cannot understand that such a barrel was opened in the media about these films that can be argued about..I think there are still three or four actions like this in Germany so that people realize what culture and art actually means.Not only pleasure and system conformity, but also provocation, hardness and the challenge of dealing with things that actually don't fit you.We have to be able to do this as a creative without us being put in a drawer with right -wing radicals, lateral thinkers or who else.
How did you react when some of the protagonists distanced themselves from the campaign after a short time?
I was wondering whether these artists would have distanced themselves even if this action had triggered an applause - probably not.Some were certainly concerned with fear of existence, for example that you can no longer get a job in TV productions.When an actor says: "I have to think of my future", I understand that.I have no understanding, however, for the abuse articles in some media.I found the pressure that was built up there, because in the end it only leads to a compliant culture in which nobody can really be located.
#allesdichtmachenHeike Makatsch distances himself from controversial action against Corona policy
The musician Heinz Rudolf Kunze complained here in an interview that culture in pandemic still lacks a lobby.Do you agree with him?
We have the best lobby that you can have, namely two or three hand full of really prominent musicians, actors and directors who just should have opened their mouths. Doch von denen sehe und höre ich nichts, abgesehen von Ausnahmen wie Yesn Josef Liefers oder Till Brönner.I cannot understand that, for example, the big German filmmakers do not speak up.
How much did Corona influence her life as creative, have other focuses on work?
A lot has changed through Corona. Mir ist in den letzten zwei Yeshren klar geworden, wie wichtig es ist, die liberalen Werte offensiv zu vertreten.I articulate my opinion on Twitter, for example, and even as a social-liberal democrat, I experience massive hostility there, I am "right wing", "lateral thinker", "cross driver", I would fight the state-although the opposite is and Ialways strong for our democracy.Nevertheless, you will be convicted at once because you represent a position that does not correspond to the mainstream. In retuschierten Fotos wurde ich als Nazi hingestellt, mir wurde ein Logo auf eine Yescke montiert, das ich nie getragen habe.If there are forces in this country that can discharge in the current situation, something is wrong with our society.As a multiple father, I see myself in an obligation that the next generation can grow up and live in a freedom country.So I said to myself that I have to become politically active.
As a FDP member, they already had a mandate in the City Council of Landsberg.
Yes, das war ein politisches Engagement für diese Stadt, weil ich gemerkt habe, dass in Landsberg eine liberale Kraft gefehlt hat.So I worked as a cultural officer, unfortunately only with a limited success.In the future I will be more involved in Berlin at the interface of culture and politics.Through my activities on Twitter and as an author of the "world", many FDP politicians now perceive me.I can now hit the party and managers of the party - which I shamelessly exploit to make them understandable how our specific cultural scene works.Because unfortunately the FDP is very weak on the chest when it comes to culture.
Has Corona also changed for her work as a director?
Yes.I have decided that I will no longer work for the public service work, for example no "crime scene", for example.I recently had two inquiries for public law productions that I both rejected.Because I don't want to have anything to do with the way you dealt with the Corona period.
"The one -sidedness and obvious ambulance of ARD and ZDF make me speechless"
Can you explain this in more detail?
I am a child of public service broadcasting.In my training as a TV journalist, I was also at ZDF in Washington.My bosses were Dieter Kronzucker and Hajo Friedrichs and at the time it impressed me very much how they always put their own opinion behind.It was about collecting facts and putting them against each other so that the viewer could ultimately form his judgment.There was a neutrality that I miss today in Corona reporting.The one -sidedness and the obvious ambulance of ARD and ZDF make me speechless. Ich habe 30 Yeshre lang für diese Sender leidenschaftlich gearbeitet, auch als das Privatfernsehen aufkam habe ich Angebote von dort ausgeschlagen – weil ich das öffentlich-rechtliche Fernsehen für sehr wichtig hielt und halte.But if I realize that the balance that is important for our democracy, I don't want to be associated with these channels.As a democrat, it is forbidden for me to work for broadcasters that do not report objectively, but negligently serve the narrative of Lobbies and Governments.I always kept that abroad and I will do it the same way in Germany now.
What would have to happen to change your opinion?
For example, I would like to see much more alternative opinions on the government course in the broadcasters.There are now enough serious, critical voices that deal with the measures and their consequences, but which at ARD and ZDFSO have a good say. Und dann sollten die Fehler der letzten Yeshre, auf die ja auch bereits mehrere Medien-Wissenschaftler hingewiesen haben, aufgearbeitet werden.This processing will be done at some point, so I'm sure.I have contact with some employees, also in news editorial offices, who share my criticism.
A SWR employee has recently formulated a similarly loud criticism in an open letter-after a few days it was terminated without notice...
...And I know employees who keep their mouths for this reason because they are afraid of losing their jobs.However, this is not a condition for the public service broadcast of a democratic country.If, as an employee of such a broadcaster, you have to be afraid to publicly express your political or social opinion, something is going wrong.
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