The interrogation in the night
Charly Hübner and Sophie von Kessel in a two-person film
"The interrogation in the night": Thomas (Charly Hübner) intercepts Judith (Sophie von Kessel), who is waiting for a taxi, in front of the hotel – one of the few scenes that does not take place in the hotel room.
© ZDF / Sandra Hoever
Where is the bomb This is what Charly Hübner tries to find out in Sophie von Kessel's play adaptation "The interrogation in the night".
On Monday evening (November 30th, 8:15 pm), ZDF will show a film in which many masters of their field were involved. "The interrogation in the night" was directed by star director – including three Grimme prizes – Matti Geschonneck (68, "Unterleuten") based on a script by the globally successful German-Austrian writer Daniel Kehlmann (45, "Die Vermessung der Welt") , "Tyll"), who in turn adapted his own play "Heilig Abend" (2017).
In front of the camera, actors Charly Hübner (47, Rostock "Polizeiruf" star) shine as police officer Thomas and Sophie von Kessel (52, "Pan Tau") as philosophy teacher Judith in the two-person crime drama.
This is what "The Interrogation in the Night" is about
On Christmas Eve, philosophy professor Judith is stopped in front of the hotel by police officer Thomas on her way to see her parents because she is suspected of planning a terrorist attack with her ex-husband Julian. Thomas needs to find out the truth, especially where the bomb may be. Judith protests her innocence, which makes Thomas' questioning methods harder and harder.
In the alternation of apparent banter and sharp interrogation sequences, he reveals to her that he knows a lot about her life from the previous observation: relationships, political views, her past. However, she sticks to being innocent and repeatedly involves Thomas in a discussion about the dilemma between freedom and security … Who is right, who is wrong and will she confess or convince him of her innocence?
Charly Hübner on the special challenges of the project
"The interrogation in the night" is a two-person play in which a 90-minute interrogation is shown in a hotel room. When asked about the particular challenges, Charly Hübner sums up: "Get up at 5:30 am, learn the text. Pick up at 7:30 am, start shooting at 9:30 am – text, text, text. Shooting close at 6:30 pm – home . Walk. 8:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Learn the text. And in between play the scenes with Sophie von Kessel. "
Sophie von Kessel was already on stage in the original play "Heilig Abend" in 2018 in the Munich Residenztheater and is therefore the ideal choice as an opponent, which Hübner also confirms: "Sophie was very familiar with the subject because of the theater production in Munich. That helped enormous in the filming, because she knew the dynamics of the text. She knew where to throttle, speed or play midi. We got on wonderfully, and the stranger of the characters was our stranger. That was a gift for the subject. Merci , Sophie! ", He enthuses about working with the woman from Munich.
Is it worth switching on?
Yes. However, the dialogues are so finely woven, dense and pointed that it is not a film that should be watched alongside. It deserves your full attention. The viewer is rewarded for this with interesting philosophical food for thought and a tension that is in no way inferior to good TV thrillers …