Interview | Matthias Freihof Heiner Carow hadn’t made a film for several years, as all the scripts he proposed were turned down by the political state censorship. Now he wanted to make this story, where the main character wasn’t only gay but also a teacher, telling his class to think like individuals, instead of being part of the big collective. That was an explosive idea in the GDR, and this project was only possible because of the beginning of political changes, as well as Carow having friends in high places. TL: The main actor being gay also in real life, was that choice made on purpose? MF: It was a complete coincidence. They were looking for somebody who would look innocent, who didn’t have any gay attitude. A “normal” boy for the audience to connect with. A friend of mine knew the screenwriter, and told the team there was this young actor willing to be part of this project. I was the first one to audition for the role, and they decided at once that they wanted me. Then I had to do a second casting together with the female lead, to see if we were a believable couple, and finally with Dirk Kummer, who played the other guy. A couple of months later, I received a letter saying I had the part. I phoned my parents and told them I was going to go ahead with this project, and they had better prepare for neighbours and friends asking questions about it. But I had to do it – Carow was one of the best directors in East Germany, and I had just finished acting school. It was a huge challenge for me. TL: How typically East German is Philipp?
MF: The film is fiction, and he is perhaps a collection of several people, but I think he is representative. The household he comes from is very typical, with hardworking parents that are somewhat emotionally absent. Philipp is very disciplined, he has grown up in the system, and acts like a little soldier who does what is expected of him. Dating his female colleague was very much part of that plan. I know so many stories of this happening: a gay man falling in love with a woman, because the time is right, and because she is lovely. For me, it was a great idea to cast Dagmar Manzel for the female lead, as she is a close friend of mine and very easy to be in love with. It was very important for the plot that we were believable as a couple. TL: How much input did you have into your character? MF: A lot. Carow had a strange view on Philipp – that he was completely innocent and passive, a real victim of circumstance – and finally I told him this won’t do. Philipp has to act at some point. He has a girlfriend but still [...] he is not a little lamb. This goes through film history, that the sissy is always the victim, and in a disastrous situation. It started in the 1950’s, and got even worse when HIV came into the picture. The crucial classroom scene at the end of the film originally consisted of three pages of monologue: “I had a very difficult time lately and now I know who I am”, that kind of talk. I refused to do it. We were making such a brilliant film, so colourful, about life in East Berlin. Ending it with this feeble excuse in the end, I said I would never do it. I didn’t want to say anything, I just wanted to look at these
people and just be there. We talked about it for several days, and the final compromise was that I said just one word: “Yes!” I thought that was too much as well, but I did it. We needed ten takes to get it right, then we had to overdub it anyway, since the cameras had made so much noise during the shoot. TL: What was it like to be gay in the GDR in the late 80s? MF: Like everywhere, I think. Being gay wasn’t illegal, even though the authorities tried to keep you under control and kept archives of people, especially as HIV came into the picture. Otherwise, East Berlin was the gay El Dorado, where most of the gay East Germans tried to go. There were no discos or clubs, but the bars were very nice. Very cosy places. TL: Just how cosy the gay bars were becomes obvious when you watch “Coming Out”, as it was extensively shot on location at Zum Burgfrieden – one of the most popular gay bars during the late 80’s – using regular customers as extras, giving an exclusive insight into what the underground EILE Magazine 45 23