“Comedy is very difficult to pull off, but it’s important to laugh to get through life”
– The German filmmaker talks about friendship, Japanese poetry, freedom, a sense of adventure and films that combine the spirit of road movies with buddy movies
The Frog and the Water, directed by Thomas Stuber, opened the 28th German Film Fest Madrid (read more), held in the Spanish capital from 3 to 7 June. To mark the occasion, we spoke with the German filmmaker, whose credits also include feature films such as In the Aisles, among others.
Cineuropa: Kanji Tsuda and Aladdin Detlefsen, the film’s lead actors, shared the Best Actor Award at the Black Nights Film Festival in Tallinn. They make for an unusual yet fascinating pairing on screen. Buddy movies are almost a genre in their own right – were you inspired by any films from this subgenre?
Thomas Stuber: There are quite a few road movies that double as buddy movies. I’d never filmed anything like this before. I watch a lot of films and I’m inspired by Jim Jarmusch’s characters, those break the rules, escape their surroundings and have different experiences. I was also inspired by Takeshi Kitano, with films like Kikujiro and Zatoichi.
The films you mention focus more on the characters than on their actions. Friendship also lies at the heart of those human relationships. Are you particularly interested in human reactions?
I’m not sure whether I deliberately place more emphasis on the characters or the stories; I like to look at people’s lives at a particular moment and see whether that works on screen.
As the film shows, friendship can blossom anywhere, unexpectedly, between very different people.
The film focuses on friendship, regardless of gender, age or race, and the two protagonists are like brothers: one has lost his brother and is traumatised by that loss, while the other steps into that space, though he can never replace him. Friendship and family ultimately merge in the film. Their relationship is more than friendship; it becomes almost like family, and even goes beyond that. The closing scene in Tokyo, featuring the Japanese protagonist’s mother, follows this theme.
The title The Frog and the Water refers to a story, a fable.
They’re reminiscent of Japanese haikus, very short poems that capture a specific moment. They’re simple yet profound. These haiku-like moments are the essence of my film: you watch it, let it unfold, and understand it.
The film, also a feel-good movie, restores the viewer’s faith in humanity at a time of great social tension…
Yes, it’s necessary these days. That’s why I wanted to make this film.
Is your cinema a humanist one, seeking to forge human connections?
Every filmmaker is a humanist, because they all explore the human condition in their work; even Robert Bresson’s film starring a donkey (Au hasard Balthazar) has a great deal to do with humanity.
How do you achieve that tender, sensitive tone in your film without it becoming overly sentimental?
I’m always teetering on the edge of kitsch and drama, trying not to slip into melodrama; if I do, I cut that part out during the editing.
Humour runs through the whole story; it’s an ingredient that goes well in any dish, for it saves us, just as it does in real life.
I agree. I think comedy is very difficult to pull off, but it’s important to laugh to get through life, and if cinema reflects life, how could there not be moments when you laugh? For me, it’s a success if the audience laughs during the film, and that’s essential.
Another theme in the film is how the protagonist changes social groups. His sense of adventure offers some excellent advice: that we should dare to break away from the herd and explore new horizons.
But it takes courage to do so, and the protagonist has it: he trusts himself, the world and other people. He’s a real adventurer.
The fear of the loneliness that freedom entails causes many to seek refuge in the herd.
It is an important issue in the world we live in today. The main character has an honest gaze and an advantage over the others because he’s brave. He’s independent, free-spirited and unique, and someone everyone can learn from.
In colaboration with
(Translated from Spanish)
