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Jeden Monat nähern sich unsere Kolumnisten, die Berliner Filmemacher Dominik und Benjamin Reding, dem jeweiligen Heftthema
auf ihre ganz eigene Art und Weise. Geboren wurden die Zwillinge am 3. Ja nuar 1969 in Dortmund. Während Dominik Architektur
in Aachen und Film in Hamburg studierte, absolvierte Benjamin ein Schauspielstudium in Stuttgart. 1997 begann die Arbeit an
ihrem ersten gemeinsamen Kinofilm „Oi! Warning“. Seitdem arbeiten sie für Fernseh- und Kinofilmprojekte zusammen.

Each month our columnists, Berlin-based filmmakers Dominik and Benjamin Reding, approach the respective issue-specific
theme in their very personal way. The twins were born on January 3, 1969 in Dortmund. Whilst Dominik studied architecture
in Aachen and film in Hamburg, Benjamin graduated in acting studies in Stuttgart. They started working on their first joint
motion picture “Oi! Warning“ in 1997. Since then they have tightly collaborated for TV and cinema film projects.

Y ou'll never make it." I've heard that before! You'll never make it. This up-and- was green studded flooring like in airports, footbridges leading up and ramps going
down, pilaster strips here and arches there, corridors going up and stairs going down,
coming young actor had hissed these words at me on the evening of my first the-
atre premiere as an assistant director. "The play may be okay," he said, "but your act- all restless, sloping and confused. Just like me. Unbearable. I went out. "If the direc-
ing was poor." And I, exuberantly, inspired by the success of the premiere, shouted: tor likes it, he forgets to keep on smoking, the ashes on his cigarette will get longer
"Then I'll learn it, like you, at an acting school." He looked me over and laughed. and longer, so you can tell if you're on the right track." The higher semesters distrib-
"You'll never make it." And that's why I sat here, on the train to Stuttgart. On my way uted rolls and coffee and gave tips. The hopeful crowded in front of the rehearsal
to the test at the drama school. Now I heard it again: "You'll never make it." A young stage and listened. A few stood out. A beautiful Mediterranean guy, whom everyone
woman said it to herself. She sat in one of the seats at the back and leafed through knew because he had taken part in a TV casting show, a fragile black-haired girl, who
yellow Reclam books with shaky fingers. Jeans, M&S sweater, blow-dried hairstyle, resembled a pain-ravished nun in purgatory and a roundish, chain-smoking, con-
chubby, plumpish. She whispered: "And if in this thou judgest me a fool, Methinks stantly babbling nervous wreck continually babbling Antigone quotes in Ruhr area
the judge of folly's will acquit." Antigone! Another one going to the acceptance test. German: Birte. "Fish are dschumping, so funny!" Birte greeted me as if she had
That's what they all recite: Antigone, Gretchen, Lady Macbeth. Which is not good. The known me forever. Then she practiced her Antigone and made movements like a
teachers have too much choice, too much comparison. "Nah, Methinks the judge of silent movie diva. "Jesus, you can't take it!", "What? Why?", "Can't you do something
folly's not acquit..." She got confused, started all over, got confused again. And she else?" Something light, cheerful?" Ah, no, now I'm giving her advice, I' m an idiot. "Big
spoke with a strong dialect. I stared out the window, strained. I just hoped she would- Melusine", "Don't know that", "It's super funny", "But I can't play it, I'm not fat." I
n't talk to me. "Are you taking your acting wanted to disagree, but I stopped myself.
exam, too?" I wish I'd said no. But you're not "Stuff handkerchiefs in your cheeks. And
supposed to start a tough exam day with a speak with a Ruhr area dialect." "But that
lie. "Yes!", "How many have you already doesn't work, I always speak in High
done?" Her voice was aching with excite- German." She said it very seriously. "Then
ment. "Five!" "Whoa, only five?" "Mine's the speak as you always do, okay?" She nod-
18th!", "No?", "Yes!", "No, there aren't that ded. "Reding!" An older gentleman stood in
many schools!", "Well, at some schools I the rehearsal room door, he smoked, no
had two exams." She was a hopeless case, ashes hung on his cigarette holder, and
one of those young people who put all their waved me in. I played Carlos, serious and
problems, all their longings, all their wor- cunning, I played Stanley Kowalski, serious
ries, all fears, hopes, questions, doubts into and angry, and Biff, serious and desperate.
one sentence and think that it is the only The stage lights were bright. "Can you also
answer: I have to be a theatre actor! "What do something funny, something light-heart-
are you reciting?" "Antigone, Gretchen and ed?" The voice came from the darkness, it
Lady Macbeth." She's lost, I thought. But at sounded friendly but determined. No, I had
least, she’s not doing an outdated TV series. nothing prepared. "Maybe a song?" I
"And Lindenstrasse, episode 700, where searched, pondered. "Oh, yes... Yes!" And I
Urszula leaves Paolo. And you?", "Carlos sang: "Summertime and the livin´ is easy.
from Clavigo, Stanley Kowalski from A Fotos: Benjamin Reding Fish are jumpin´ and the cotton is high."
Streetcar Named Desire and Biff from Death When I went out, I thought I saw some
of a Salesman", "Don't you have anything ashes hanging from the director's cigarette,
funny? Maybe a song?", "No, this isn't a musical school", "Then sing something for but maybe I was wrong. Then they shouted: " Holtkötter!" The results were
me, something funny!" I started to thinking. "Can't you sing any?", "I can!" Uncertain announced in the afternoon. A two-hour wait. I walked to the town centre. I made it
I stared to sing. "Summertime and the livin´ is easy, fish are jumpin´ and the cotton to the museum, then I was exhausted. I lacked the money, but winding paths and
is high", "Fish are dschumping", she started to laugh, a completely uninhibited, stairs led into the courtyard for free. Circular, surrounded by statues and covered with
uncontrolled laugh. She reached out her hand. "I am Birte, Birte Holtkötter", "Not a ivy. I lay down and the Stuttgart sun shone on me.
star's name, by the way." It just slipped out. "No, but it's going to be!", "And what are The door of the rehearsal room opened, the restlessness, the over-excited talking,
you going to do if they don't accept you?", "Then I'll jump out the window." coughing, giggling stopped. The director looked around, asked to refrain from expres-
The city was peaceful. It smelled of summer, of mowed grass, of taxi diesel on the sions of joy or grief, picked a note out of his jacket pocket and read: "Cornelio
deserted station forecourt. I was there too early, much too early. I lost her, she had to Armato". ("The pretty guy, of course!") "Felicitas Kirchberg." (The sensitive nun!) "Birte
smoke, buy cigarettes somewhere. The way to the acting school was crossed by a Holtkötter." "AAAAHHH!!!" Birte cried out, then she started laughing, then crying, then
road as wide as highway, cutting through the city like a knife, and behind it was a she fell off the chair. The following names were hard to understand. My name was
museum. I knew it, my brother studied architecture and had explained the building the last to be called out. The way back led past the museum. Aha, this is where I pass
to me. It was postmodern and a complete failure. Roman coliseum on the outside and by for the next three years. I jumped down the stairs. Two at once. I liked the muse-
green plastic flooring and plaster columns on the inside. I went in. And indeed, there um. Whoa, what an epic building!

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