German nominee focuses on village life and human relationships

The cast of “Another German Tank Story,” a German nominee for the Golden Goblet Awards at the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival, discussed the production with the audience and media after its premiere at the Shanghai Film Art Center on Tuesday.

The film is the first feature from director Jannis Alexander Kiefer, whose short films have been well-received at many festivals.

The movie delves into the intricate and precarious microcosms of small communities in Germany.

While an American film crew shoots a war series in a former sugar factory in Germany, the residents of the nearby village of Wiesenwalde chase their personal dreams — until a sudden power failure threatens to disrupt plans and a tank stands in front of the mayor's house.

“Despite a limited budget, I really enjoyed the film’s shooting and production, a process of free artistic creation for me,” Kiefer said.

The film’s fictional characters and their complicated and dramatic relationships also provide insights into the German society, culture and art.

Actor Roland Bonjour said he was attracted to the script at the very beginning.

“I also grew up in a small village of Germany, and I feel connected to the environment and atmosphere of the film backdrop,” Bonjour said.

Actress Meike Droste, a veteran stage performer, said acting on stage was very different to the experience of starring in a movie.

“At theaters, actors perform with the attendance of a live audience,” Droste said. “But today when I watch this film, I have brand new understandings of the role I depicted around two years ago. With some new life experiences, I’m thinking whether I can offer new expression and interpretation of the character.”