So far, the actor Hinnerk Schönemann has always been in front of the camera in the ARD crime series “Nord bei Nordwest”. Now he is sitting for the first time in the director’s chair. He makes his debut with the episode “On the Run” (Thursday, 8:15 p.m., Das Erste).
“I can imagine that it has always been dormant in me. There’s probably some kind of affinity in my family“, says Schönemann (“Work without an author”) in the dpa interview. The TV star who lives in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, nephew of the documentary filmmakers Sybille and Hannes Schönemann (“Locked Time”), adds: “The decisive factor was the experience that I collected myself. I suddenly had the feeling that I wanted to tell more. Being more involved in the whole process – from making it to actually carrying the film.”
After the quick approval of “Nord bei Nordwest” producer Claudia Schröder, Schönemann still had to be patient because he really wanted to have the busy Holger Karsten Schmidt (“Ramstein – Das pierced heart”), whom he valued, as the author. “I understand everything that Schmidt writes,” says the actor. And admits: “Even when I play, I always play for him as an author and send him hidden little messages – for example Quotes from previous films. I also want to surprise him because he keeps surprising me with his book.”
With the case “On the Run” both are one black humorous hostage-taking thriller with thriller moments succeded. Because in the actually rather tranquil fictional village of Schwanitz on the Priwall near Travemünde (Schleswig-Holstein), four serious criminals who escaped a prisoner transport nest themselves. They take the vet Jule (Marleen Lohse) and her intern (Carolin Garnier) hostage. The uneasy quartet, led by the dictatorial Victor Gericke (Roman Knizka, “Forever Summer 90”), prepares to flee to Denmark.
Excitement, wit and a game with genres characterizes the story for which Schönemann is responsible. The new director also demonstrates a sense for the essentials, structure – and a feeling for the interpersonal dynamics in the film. These arise from the relationships between North German shyness and flirting attempts by the locals as well as the fears and aggression associated with the brutal, quite different criminals. “In the end, it’s the way I imagined it would be,” says Schönemann.
