Felix Klare on “We have a deal”
“I would like this film to move people”
“We have a deal”: Felix Klare as former abuse victim Frank Lechner.
© ZDF / Gabi Faber / Rat Pack Filmproduktion GmbH
Felix Klare’s new film is about the difficult topic of child abuse. He hopes “We Have a Deal” will spark conversations.
The TV film “We have a deal” (October 23rd, 8:15 p.m., ZDF) talks about how lasting an experience of abuse can have a lasting impact. After Frank Lechner (Felix Klare) meets his former soccer coach Klaus Wille (Peter Lohmeyer), who abused him as a child, and he falls into a life crisis. When he realizes that another child is in danger, he forces himself to file a complaint…
“Careful, sensitive and accurate” preparation
Actor Felix Klare (45, Stuttgart “Tatort” detective) took the preparation for this role very seriously. “During the preparation period for this role, it became clearer to me day by day that this time I had to be particularly careful, sensitive and precise. I felt the responsibility I had taken on by portraying a person who had been severely traumatized by sexual assault,” he writes according to the broadcaster in a statement. “I wanted and had to do this as well as possible in order to do even some justice to those who were really suffering,” he adds.
While researching the abuse drama, he quickly became aware that there were two main issues that had serious consequences for those affected: “Guilt and shame. Two fundamentally very unpleasant feelings that we all know and that we like to avoid instead of facing them deliver.”
How do I encourage my child to listen to their feelings?
“I would like this film to move people. That it brings movement to the topic itself, that it encourages those affected to break out of their rigidity caused by others and that it thus gives a voice to those who, as is unfortunately so often the case, are the ones who suffer the most are – the children,” says Felix Klare.
An important topic here is the question of how to encourage children to confide in their parents from an early age. “In my experience, you get the best relationship with your children when you also have a good relationship with yourself,” explains the father of four to the news agency spot on news. “In addition to love and affection, sincerity is certainly the most important thing – towards yourself and also towards your children.” Because: “A child senses much more directly when a situation is strange or, for example, when his caregiver is not feeling well. He experienced this first-hand for nine months in his mother’s womb – or rather felt it. If he can even address it later , asks, and the parents then reflect back ‘no, no, everything’s fine’ because they think it’s none of the child’s business or that it’s still too small, they signal to them that your feeling is wrong.” This could have far-reaching consequences. “If you manage to be as honest as possible with your child in age-appropriate language, it creates trust,” he summarizes.
It depends on how. “We explain far too often and, above all, far too early about the intellectual level. Especially in toddlerhood, almost until puberty, you will have much more lasting success with stories that you can immerse yourself in or with simple examples,” says Klare.
Reactions at the film screenings
The film was already shown at the Munich Film Festival and the German Film Festival in Ludwigshafen. How was the feedback? “From the feedback so far, I noticed how deep and widespread the issue of sexual abuse – still is. That was and is frightening. An indictment of our civilization and a consequence of our value system and yes, also of patriarchy,” Klare summarizes . “Many people came to him very upset inside and he immersed them in their personal history to a certain extent,” he recalls in an interview with spot on news. “There is a lot to do, believe me,” is his conclusion .
In a larger context, however, he also thinks about potential perpetrators. “And despite all the morals, I would also like the film to encourage people to think more intensively about the perpetrators, or those who could become perpetrators because of their inclinations but don’t want to become one. Here, a distinction should, no, must, be made In the interest of all of us – and especially that of our children – we should talk about more extensive and stronger education and prevention through advice and contact points,” he demands in his statement.
How can he switch off again even after such upsetting filming? “Nature, everyday life, household – simply getting involved in reality again can help quite quickly,” he explains to spot on news and adds thoughtfully: “Sometimes you can also feel something about the feeling of the character, maybe you will find out about it something for her if you take her with you a little longer…”