Hannes Jaenicke lives with a colleague in a "funny hiking flat share". They are also a dream team professionally, as he explains in an interview.
You can safely call it a real heart project by Hannes Jaenicke (60, "In action for dolphins"). Because "Savior of the Seas: Deadly Stranding" (February 6th, 8:15 pm, the first) is exactly his taste in terms of content. For the pilot of the potential new environmental thriller series he was finally able to work again with his "foster son" Daniel Roesner (37, "In love with Berlin").
Jaenicke plays the politically active environmental visionary Reno Finnings and Roesner plays the head of his international research team, the Global Ocean Foundation, Pit Wagner. During their mission in front of the endangered natural paradise of Mauritius, they have to find the reason why marine mammals lose their sense of direction and prevent an entire herd of whales from being stranded.
In an interview with spot on news, he tells where the two main actors of the film, which is also well worth seeing, know each other and how much this film project builds on Jaenicke's knowledge of seas and whales.
The environmental thriller "Savior of the Seas: Deadly Stranding" (pilot of a new series) should be a film entirely to your taste. How did that happen?
Hannes Jaenicke: The ARD editor Birgit Titze invited my acting colleague Daniel "Dani" Roesner and me to a meeting at the Berlinale three years ago and presented us with the idea for this film. At first I was skeptical because I actually always work on these topics in a documentary way. But since Dani Roesner and I hadn't shot together for a long time and the concept of the series is great, I quickly became enthusiastic about this idea.
In the meantime, I can only say how brave I think it is that ARD dares to compete against a ZDF crime thriller on the classic Saturday evening slot for an eco-thriller that wants to entertain and at the same time convey content. Thanks for the idea and the guts!
Did you work on the script?
Jaenicke: Yes! The editorial team and producer Nanni Erben gave Dani Roesner and me a lot of freedom. The subject was no longer alien to me. I made three ZDF documentaries on the subject of "sinking of the seas", wrote a book about it, and I made a film about orcas and dolphins, one about sharks and one about salmon. So the broadcaster and production knew that I would bring some knowledge with me. In this respect, all doors were open to us, we had really great conditions.
Which content-related details could you specifically contribute?
Jaenicke: Our documentary about dolphins and orcas was also about sonar pollution, overfishing of the oceans, plastic waste, illegal toxic waste disposal, etc. In principle, it doesn't matter where you go into the sea in the world, you have the same problems everywhere. In our film, however, we don't tell about that with a raised index finger. Rather, the audience can expect an exciting thriller format with breathtaking images.
The whale hunt is no longer well received internationally. Many fishermen have switched to whale watching. But that's also dangerous for the animals, as the thriller shows, among other things. What is the danger?
Jaenicke: In the USA you have to keep a distance of 300 meters from the whale while watching whales, and whale tourism has largely come to a standstill. But of course there are also countries that do not regulate this so strictly and there it is a disaster. An example of this is Egypt: 200 snorkeling tourists are brought into the dolphins' sleeping bay and practically thrown on them. Of course, whale watching is better than whaling. But one should practice respectful whale watching and not these criminal forms for mass tourism.
After all, you are often out and about in and on the sea in your private life. What was the most dangerous situation you have ever experienced?
Jaenicke: The most dangerous thing was definitely the Chinese shark fin mafia, which luckily we were able to film with a hidden camera without being exposed. Otherwise, the most dangerous thing I have experienced at sea was a sailing regatta where we got caught in a storm. Our sails broke, the skipper broke his ankle and the engine failed – the sea occasionally becomes uncomfortable. Although I usually consider it the most beautiful bathing puddle in the world, the sea shows us now and then quite clearly where the hammer is.
I also had a serious surfing accident once. At that time, by the way, Dani Roesner took me to the hospital and waited four hours in the parking lot until my skull was patched up again. It is very easy to get hurt in the sea. I am a master at this – and yet I was, am and will remain an absolute water rat until the end of my days.
How do you and Daniel Roesner know each other?
Jaenicke: We got to know each other in 2004. At that time he was one of my drama students and I quickly noticed because he is simply sunshine with incredible energy. Since that time we have been running a fun hiking flat share. First in Los Angeles, then we opened it in Berlin. After that we lived together regularly in Cologne and later on Lake Ammersee.
For "Savior of the Seas: Deadly Stranding" the production wanted us to stay in the hotel for a month, but we preferred to take a little hut together. There we worked on the book at night, rehearsed and shot during the day. We are generally very similar in our interests and passions. I always say Dani is the son I never had, a kind of foster son. Dani likes to call me "his brother from another mother" (German: "his brother from another mother") – I find that apt and funny.
The film was made in Mauritius, among other places. How did you like it there?
Jaenicke: The whole film was made in Mauritius, including the scenes that take place in Cape Town, for example. Half of the crew were South Africans, the other half Mauritians. I already knew Mauritius because I had shot there before. It is an incredibly beautiful island, and the residents actually take great care of their nature.
The film was made at the end of 2019, i.e. right before Corona. Have you been filming since Corona and therefore under the new security conditions?
Jaenicke: Yes, we shot the documentary "Im Einsatz für den Wolf" for ZDF, together with Dani Roesner a Costa Rican documentary for ntv and a satirical environmental spot for the Frosch company. It will continue this year. We are also preparing the next ZDF documentary "Im Einsatz für die Sau" about factory farming. I'm currently waiting to see if we can shoot the next two Amsterdam thrillers for ARD from spring.
Then you have surely already had to endure a few corona tests? What is more uncomfortable, nose or throat?
Jaenicke: In the last few weeks and months I think I've been tested 30 or 40 times. I don't care whether it's nose or throat. I think it's right that we do tests, keep our distance and the like. Still, I find current politics terrifyingly headless and anti-cultural. Everything will be saved except the culture. On the other hand, I do not want to be in the shoes of our politicians who are currently having to make these decisions.