A FILM BY 2 In the early 60s, Bernward Vesper and fellow university student Gudrun Ensslin begin a passionate love in the stifling atmosphere of provincial West . Sensitive to the increasing restlessness of the times, the fiery couple lash out at the denial regarding their fathers‘ roles in Hitler‘s Third Reich. Dedi- cated to the power of the written word, Bernward and Gudrun found a publishing house for controversial political works and become part of the spreading global uprising: „If not us, who; If not now, when?“ But discontentment with the world takes its toll on their tumultuous relationship. By the late 60s, Gudrun has joined rebellious ‘s pro-violence cause and Bernward risks his sanity by using psychedelic drugs in his struggles to finally write the novel committed to changing the world... Based on the emotional true story of an explosive era.

3 SYNOPSIS

and she, too, questi- ons her father‘s role during Hitler‘s Third Reich. With the help of her knowledge and dedication, Bernward founds a publishing house whose first publication is, para- doxically to Gudrun and many others, a controversial past work of Bernward‘s ostracized father.

Sharing both work and bed, Bernward , 1961. Uni- cious past. The war ended barely 15 and Gudrun live out a passionate versity student Bernward Vesper has years ago, and the mood is stifling love doubted by their families. Sen- devoted himself to the written word, and conservative, all the more so in sitive to the increasing restlessness aspiring one day that his own writing Bernward‘s provincial surroundings. of the times, the fiery couple be- will change the world. The son of an gins to lash out at the conformism infamous Nazi author, Bernward de- Bernward discovers much in common and denial around them. Theirs is fends his father‘s writing ability, even with fellow student Gudrun Ensslin. an existence of breaking rules and if he is haunted by his father‘s suspi- Gudrun has a fascination for literature, pushing limits. But their tumultuous

4 relationship nearly comes to an end When Gudrun gives birth to their son By 1968, Gudrun has flung herself because of Bernward‘s infidelities. Felix, the couple seems to be closer into Baader‘s pro-violence cause. As than ever. Although they are success- chances of having a happy family life Bernward and Gudrun start anew fully publishing political literature, evaporate, Bernward risks his sanity by with a move to West in 1964. words are no longer enough for Gud- using psychedelic drugs in his strugg- Joining forces with leftist writers and run. When rebellious Andreas Baader les to finally write the novel committed political activists, they become part of enters their lives, Gudrun is attracted to changing the world... the spreading global uprising: „If not to his much more radical approach. us, who; If not now, when?“ It seems that history‘s wheels are turning in the direc- tion that Bernward and Gudrun have lon- ged for: students pro- test against the Viet- nam War, movements rise for indepen- dence in Third World countries, the Black Panthers gain reco- gnition in the USA...

5 ded the Ernst Busch Academy of He has also played an SS officer in AS Bernward Vesper Dramatic Arts. He has performed ex- Volker Schloendorff‘s THE NINTH DAY, tensively in theatre, including Peter the grandson of an SS officer in THE August Diehl began his cinema career Zadek’s production of Sarah Kane’s BIRCH-TREE MEADOW, and in THE with an award-winning performance in CLEANSED at the Hamburger Kam- COUNTERFEITERS he was a communist Hans-Christian Schmid‘s thriller 23. merspiele and Luc Bondy’s THE imprisoned in the Sachsenhausen con- Diehl won the 1999 German Film Prize SEAGULL at the Burgtheater. centration camp. for his role as the computer hacker and Diehl has had a wide range of cinema Selected Filmography conspiracy theorist Karl Koch who even- roles - from genre films like Stefan 2011 IF NOT US, WHO (Andres Veiel) tually goes insane. Diehl worked again Ruzowitzky’s ANATOMY 2 and Robert 2010 SALT (Phillip Noyce) with Hans-Christian Schmid as part of Schwentke’s TATTOO to literary films, 2010 THE COMING DAYS (Lars Kraume) the ensemble cast of 2002‘s DISTANT such as Rainer Kaufmann‘s COLD IS 2009 INGLORIOUS BASTERDS LIGHTS, which recounts the fates of seve- THE BREATH OF EVENING. Diehl was re- () 2008 DR. ALEMAN (Tom Schreiber) ral people at the German-Polish border. cently seen as an SS colonel in Quentin 2008 BUDDENBROOKS (Heinrich Breloer) Born in Berlin in 1976, Diehl atten- Tarantino‘s . 2007 NOTHING BUT GHOSTS (Martin Gypkens) SLUMMING (Michael Glawogger) 2006 THE COUNTERFEITERS (Stefan Ruzowitzky) 2004 THE NINTH DAY (Volker Schloendorff) 2003 LOVE IN THOUGHTS (Achim von Borries) THE BIRCH-TREE MEADOW (Marceline Loridan-Ivens) 2002 TATTOO (Robert Schwentke) DISTANT LIGHTS (Hans-Christian Schmid) 2000 COLD IS THE BREATH OF EVENING (Rainer Kaufmann) 1998 23 (Hans-Christian Schmid)

LENA LAUZEMIS DAS ALIBI. Her film roles include Sue 2003 YUGOTRIP (TV) (Nadya Derado) as Gudrun Ensslin de Beer‘s HANS UND GRETE from Sue 2002 DIE MUTTER (TV) (Matti Geschonneck) de Beer and Jutta Brückner‘s HITLER- 2001 HANS UND GRETE (Sue de Beer) 2001 TATORT – GEWALTFIEBER (TV) Lena Lauzemis was born in 1983 in KANTATE, in which she plays a music (Martin Eigler) Berlin. She first appeared on stage at lover who falls for Hitler. 2000 HERZRASEN (TV) (Hanno Brühl) age 13 as part of the Wild Bunch, a Selected Filmography 1999 DAS ALIBI (TV) (Christine Wiegand) Berlin youth theater group. At age 16, 2011 IF NOT US, WHO (Andres Veiel) she played Lavinia in Heiner Müller’s 2005 HITLERKANTATE (Jutta Brückner) ANATOMIE: TITUS FALL OF ROME, di- rected by Thomas Heise in a factory hall in the Berlin suburb of Marzahn. Miss Lauzemis studied at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts. Since 2006, she has been a member of the Mu- nich Kammerspiele theatre ensemble. After small film appearances in films like Anne Høegh Krohn’s UNKNOWN FRIEND, Miss Lauzemis landed her first leading role in the 1999 television film

6 helm in Quentin Tarantino‘s INGLORI- OUS BASTERDS. His other film credits include Heinrich Breloer‘s BUDDEN- BROOKS: THE DECLINE OF A FAMILY, Frieder Wittich‘s comedy 13 SEMES- TER and Hans-Christian Schmid‘s award-winning political thriller STORM. Born in 1981 in Berlin, Fehling studied at the Ernst Busch Academy of Drama- tic Arts.

Selected Filmography 2011 WER WENN NICHT WIR (Andres Veiel) Thalheim’s AND ALONG COME THE 2010 GOETHE! (Philipp Stölzl) as Andreas Baader TOURISTS, which made its world pre- 2009 STURM (Hans-Christian Schmid) miere in the Cannes Film Festival‘s INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS Alexander Fehling was recently “Un Certain Regard” section. Fehling (Quentin Tarantino) seen in the title role of Philipp won the German Film Prize for his per- 13 SEMESTER (Frieder Wittich) 2008 BUDDENBROOKS (Heinrich Breloer) Stölzl’s GOETHE!, playing the duke formance as a young man caring for 2007 AM ENDE KOMMEN TOURISTEN of poets as a jaunty bon vivant. a holocaust survivor at the Auschwitz (Robert Thalheim) Fehling made his film debut in Robert Memorial. He played Staff Sgt. Wil-

ANDRES VEIEL Writer and Director

IF NOT US, WHO is Andres Veiel‘s first fiction feature. He has directed numerous award-winning documen- taries, such as BLACK BOX BRD and ADDICTED TO ACTING. BLACK BOX BRD, winner of Best Documentary at the European Film Awards, is the por- trait of RAF terrorist and big banker , featuring the Judeo-Palestinian thea­ play THE KICK, about a brutal torture- who was murdered by the RAF. ter group Akko. In his very personal murder in the Brandenburg village of Veiel‘s ADDICTED TO ACTING won the film THE SURVIVORS, Veiel explored Potzlow, performed at Berlin‘s Maxim Panorama Audience Award at the the stories of three former classma- Gorki Theater and at the Theater Basel. Berlin Film Festival and also received tes who ended up committing suicide. Selected Filmography a European Film Awards nomination Veiel was born in in 1959. 2011 IF NOT US, WHO for Best Documentary. ADDICTED TO Parallel to his studies in psycholo- 2006 THE KICK (documentary) ACTING is a long-term observation of gy in the 1980s, he completed an 2004 ADDICTED TO ACTING (documentary) four theater students at Berlin‘s Ernst extracurricular program in film and 2001 BLACK BOX BRD (documentary) Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts. theater direction at the Künstler- 1995 THE SURVIVORS (documentary) Veiel made his debut with 1991‘s haus Bethanien under the tutelage of 1993 BALAGAN (documentary) 1991 WINTERNACHTSTRAUM (documentary) WINTERNACHTSTRAUM and followed Polish director Krzysztof Kiewlowski. with the award-winning BALAGAN, Veiel also directed the filming of his

7 8 9 INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR ANDRES VEIEL

IF NOT US, WHO recounts the love Bernard Vesper even republished a to sacrifice her child for a higher mo- story of Bernward Vesper and Gudrun few of his father’s controversial books ral purpose. Not out of vengeance but Ensslin. What drew you to this story? with his own private press... rather like, “I’m responsible for the When I was first offered the material, I Along with Gudrun Ensslin. As publi- situation in this world and if I bring turned it down. I thought, it’s all been shing director, she didn’t just go along children into this world, I had better told. But then I read Gerd Koenen‘s with him, but even wrote positive make sure that the world is a worthy book, “Vesper, Ensslin, Baader – critiques of Will Vesper‘s works. This place for them to grow up in.” And that Urszenen des deutschen Terrorismus was a guy who gave the main speech was her justification for leaving the (Prehistory of German Terrorism)” and during the 1933 in child behind. But if you read Gudrun I realized after the first few pages that Dresden. One might ask, “Did she do Ensslin’s letters from prison – which what seemed so “already told” was it out of unconditional love for Bern- are now public – you can see how new and fresh here. All the material ward? Was it a money question? Did much she fought with that decision. Suddenly a whole new person comes through. One could go so far as to say this is the demystification of an icon – Gudrun Ensslin is a person with human ties and not a Jeanne d’Arc figure, who only fights for her cause. I weigh- ted the meaning in the opposite way: because the sacrifi- ce was so great, the cause for which she fought had to be that – the letters, the documents – made she have to take this path in order to much greater and more important. something clear. For instance about finance what she really wanted? That Then it couldn’t be reduced to the si- Bernward Vesper, what we all know was something that I really didn’t tuation with the renters in the Märki- from his book “The Journey,” that he connect with Gudrun Ensslin and also schen neighborhood in Berlin. It had fought so hard to come to terms with not with Bernward Vesper. to be about worldwide revolution. his National Socialist father, the folk poet Will Vesper - ostracized for being It had to be about How did you come to choose IF NOT a „Nazi writer“. But from early letters worldwide revolution US, WHO as the title of the film? the love for his father was apparent The breaking news in January 1968 despite his oppressive child­rearing. And this new and surprising thought was: the giant is faltering. The US He believed in his son’s potential. Will drove you to direct IF NOT US, WHO? army’s casualties increased dramati- Vesper offered Bernward the “sugary Yes, added to that was my image of cally. They seemed to be defeated by genius” as Gerd Koenen puts it. Gudrun Ensslin. A lot like Ulrike Mein- the Viet Cong. There was an enthusi- hof, she was a kind of Medea, willing astic energy among young people not

10 only in Berlin. You could feel it in Ber- a desire to adopt the literary and fil- The relationship was driven by great keley, Tokyo, Buenos Aires and Paris: mic models into their own lives, and in expectations. Gudrun once said, and we have the strong tail wind of history. doing so blot out all the stuffy morals we used it in the film, “I want to love We can end this cruel war, we can that were preached at home. While the you so much that you don’t need other change the world right now, Thousands Vesper’s household was in the grip of women.” The argument behind that is of young people took to the streets: „If a fossilized sense of morals, Gudrun “if you go to another woman, it’s my not us, who; if not now, when?“ beca- came to realize that her own father fault.” That’s a superhuman demand me a sort of slogan of the times. Gud- was an artist and bon vivant despite that asks too much of anyone, extra- run and Andreas, and also Bernward, his role as a clergyman. From him, she ordinary, nearing saintliness. Gudrun were part of this revolutionary dream. learned how to fly under the radar and develops her formidable strength from Of course with different conclusions. go undetected. That is why – I belie- that trait. The disappointment that this For Gudrun and Andreas it was the ve – she was the force driving them to ideal can’t be achieved is then direc- starting point of their trip into violent cross the line. That’s what it was about. ted against herself. She not only tole- action, Bernward used it as a source Hans Henny Jahnn crossed the line. rates an affair, she goes so far as to for his literary revenge. Ingmar Bergman’s scandalous film invite him to bring another woman into “The Silence” showed the sexual act the mix. She takes over responsibility When Bernward Vesper and Gudrun for the first time in a public cinema. and directs Bernward’s own infideli- Ensslin meet in the sixties in Tubingen, That all happened in the early sixties. ty. In this way she maintains control. the world seems completely open to It didn’t all start in ‘68. I believe that Bernward was flattered them. They manage to get past their by all this, but he was also afraid at strict moral preconceptions. They even I want to love you the same time. Someone who doubts manage to have a ménage à trois. Is so much that you don‘t himself will ask, “What has it got to do that the beginning of the uprising later? need other women with me that I’m so immature, so un- In contemporary films like “Jules and sure? I don’t deserve this love.” That’s Jim” things like ménage à trois were How things develop between Bernward a set up that can only lead to drama. brought to the big screen. The writer and Gudrun is also kept open in the For a film, of course, these conditions Hans Henny Jahnn broached the issue film for quite a while. How would you are excellent. It’s about an absolute of lifting away the clearly defined roles describe the relationship between the kind of love and not just another re- for the sexes, violence and sexuality. two of them? lationship. And it was thus clear that there was

11 Gudrun says “I want to love you so from the right and the left, overlap for Read a bit out of Martin much that you don’t need other Bernward. Was that also new for you? Luther King’s book, I want women” after nearly killing herself... Yeah, the thing that I really found in- to hear what it sounds It’s self-destructive, but I wouldn’t go teresting was that he was involved in like when you speak the so far as to say it was suicidal. When both at the same time. Obviously not language of the occupiers I drink after an act of self-destruction, for the entire ten-year period in which go outside and lay myself out some- this film takes place but at least till Nevertheless, taking a bold look at it: where, it’s not the same as throwing 1964/1965, Bernward was identified Are there positions from Bernward’s myself off a cliff. Rather, it’s up to with his father’s life. And then the dis­ nationalistic German viewpoint that chance what happens afterward. I lea- tance became ever greater, as shown can be seen in the left milieu? ve it up to fate, whether or not I die. in the film. But up to this point, he One has to be very, very careful there This scene plays out in a grey zone. So simultaneously holds two opposite and very precise so as not to approach in creating it I held back. I decided to positions to be true. For instance, he this with old thought patterns. Bern- do the same in my documentary film and Gudrun protest the arrest of Spie- ward, and Gudrun too, lived in a vehe- “The Survivors.” It was about three old gel magazine editor Rudolf Augstein ment anti-Americanism fueled by the classmates of mine who committed during the “Spiegel Affair” in the fall of Vietnam War. Bernward‘s father, like suicide. The place where a person is at ’62. Both of them said to themselves, many other from the right in postwar when he or she makes the decision to “We have to stand up against this, it’s Germany, cultivated hatred towards kill oneself is isolated. No one else can an attack on democracy.” In the same the “occupiers.” The film touches approach it. Even in a feature film, it’s period, Bernward is tied to the ideas upon this when Bernward lays a book forbidden ground. The way leading up his father left behind, but he doesn’t by Martin Luther King on the table to it may be shown, the result can be experience this as any form or para- and says to Gudrun, “Read a bit out shown but at the same time, it cannot. dox. It was difficult for him to think of Martin Luther King’s book, I want in those simple categories right/left, to hear what it sounds like when you The unusual thing about Bernward’s progressive/conservative. speak the language of the occupiers.” story is that he spent a long time toying At the same time, Bernward and Gud- with rightwing nationalism through the run identify themselves with the Black 50’s and the early 60’s – even after he Panther movement in the USA. Gudrun started to get involved with groups far revered John F. Kennedy. One could removed from all that. These worlds, even say that she was disappointed

12 and suffered a disillusioned loss of Are the stories of Bernward Vesper and tive he has decided upon a role, which love for the USA after Kennedy’s as- Gudrun Ensslin typical of the 1960’s? he doesn’t change out of – that of sassination. If you want to understand the political a political guerrilla, the resistance uprising of those times, then these fighter, the terrorist, depending upon Similar to protest behavior in the 68er characters are actually typical because your point of view. But he didn’t start milieu, protests in national conserva- they both let loose incredible political out that way. Before that, he probably tive circles were driven by acts of dis- forces to reach change without com- started out as a petty criminal. Import- dain of the democratic society... promise. Bernward delves into art export or something like that. And the artificialness of the masses. and recreates himself. “By changing That’s another point where America myself,” he said, “I am changing the In the film Baader appears as a singer is implicated: vulgarization, chewing world.” On the other hand, Gudrun in a nightclub. This appearance seems gum instead of gourmet, no proper cu- said, “That is backsliding into bour- very gay. That’s no coincidence, is it? linary culture. It links up to Adorno’s geois categories. One must change He had a gay uncle who got him into and Horkheimer’s “Dialectic of the societal principles and then indi- the early transvestite revue and gay Enlightenment,” in which the mass viduals will change.” Both had radical club scene in , which was consumption of culture from the cul- approaches and each stands for a hidden behind very bourgeois and ture-industry leads to trivialization kind of political uprising of this period. plush musical numbers. This made and numbing. Here too, father and quite an impression on Andreas son share the same critique, even if Even Andreas Baader reinvented Baader. they have different reasons: The noble himself by offering differing stories spirit of the German people being for his own background. Is this self- I write as a man punching numbed by doubting Thomases and dramaturgy the key to his character? society square in the face street poets. On the other side instead Yes, and in the vein of Rimbaud, “I is of street poets, American goods for another.” He is someone who tries out There’s an interesting parallel between mass consumption that numbed the other roles. Doing this helps him to Andreas and Bernward the first time senses, so that people are contented overcome and break down barriers. “I each met Gudrun. Bernward says to with their lamentable situations and am man, I am woman, I am many. And her, “I write as a man punching soci- no longer fight to change the world. if ever you start to think you’ve got me ety square in the face.” And during a pinned down, I’m someone else again.” political discussion Andreas says, “I By the time he arrives in our film narra- just got out of jail, where you don’t

13 drivel on about rebellion, you go ahead takes to lead intellectually and organi- From narratives and descriptions I and throw a punch.” zationally, but at the deciding moment knew how clearly she recognized and I believe that she was the type of per- she checks to see if what she is doing then referred to everything. Her tough- son that could see through things on is in fact legitimate. At that point, you ness towards Bernward borders on an intellectual level but suffered from need someone to push things further. mistreatment. Someone who writes is enormous self-doubt, wherever it came laughable for her. He had revolution from. She needed someone to counter- He had revolution on his lips and the bourgeois under his act that doubt by being unconditional. on his lips and the ass. This contempt is, however, cont- This combination of scrupulousness bourgeois under his ass empt for her own weakness that she and intellectual wit was the incendiary sees in others. It doesn’t come without mixture for the mutual radicalization Gudrun Ensslin’s language gets toug- ambivalence, fear, and especially when of Gudrun and Andreas. The catalyst her and more determined as the film she leaves her child behind – and all was not there for either of them alone. progresses. Where does this tough- that has to be fought in others. Only Before that it was the unconditional ness come from? with this toughness can she bury her importance of the publishing venture own self-destructive anguish. Nothing with Bernward. Gudrun had what it is more threatening than if the doubt

14 and scruples broke through. They doned. By digging around in his biogra- his own. For Gudrun this other world is would have jeopardized her grand pro- phy, we learn that his father was lost in her family. Andreas only senses an ar- ject by corroding her momentum. the war. He grew up with his mother in chaic, self-destructive fear in this situ- Munich. She hands the three-year-old ation. Any love that amounts merely to One topic of this film is the three-way off to his grandmother in Thüringen, a consoling promise of: “I’m leaving, relationship. However, when Gudrun leaves, comes back, and leaves again but I will come back,” is seen as a mo- meets Andreas, Bernward has to go. to work cleaning up the rubble in war- ckery and a lie. Again, there is only the The driving force is Andreas, “Do you torn Munich and live in a bleak, tiny absolute. Going back and forth equa- want to go back to your petit bourgeois room. After three more years, she tes to a consolation. Thus he isn’t try- family?” he screams at Gudrun and brings both grandmother and child ing to teach her a lesson with his blow, boxes her ear. Giving up the bourgeois back to Munich. Thus at a very impres- even if he expresses it that way. It’s the family is part of becoming radical – An- sionable age, Andreas’ only experience action of a person in distress. dreas leaves his small child behind as of his mother is her coming, showering well. But there’s something else going him with love and then leaving again. on with him, the attachment problem. Nothing is more traumatic for him than A great trauma of his is to be aban- a person with a world separate from

15 Without the FÜHRer, always having to make decisions as these drives from my own personal his- you never would to which source I would accept. Often tory. For instance in 2008 during the have existed that could only happen with further finance crisis, I thought all that’s going research. on is insanity. There has to be a tool An unbelievable scene takes place on kit for not only analyzing the gears of the occasion of Bernward’s mother’s As a feature film director who works capitalism, but also at a point saying, birthday. She confesses to him, with documentary material, do you “This can’t go on!” It’s a way of thin- “Without the Führer, you never would have to liberate yourself from the king that was valid then and is valid have existed. Your father didn’t want many different narratives in order to now. Simply saying, “yesterday was children. Hitler wished for his people find your own? like today and today is like yesterday,” to procreate. One could not shirk that Those that don’t follow dramaturgical isn’t enough. duty.” Was that true? necessity. I go into this underbrush of Yes, I wouldn’t dare to invent such a origins and try to comply with as much What is the difference in the protest moment. This comes from the mate- complexity as possible, nevertheless, movements of yesterday as opposed rial that I got either from discussions maintaining an inner authenticity to today? with his sister, family members and and consistency so that the narrative There are definitely differences in the acquaintances from that time period doesn’t get lost in the thicket. This political context: the uprising of ’68 or from other sources. I put together a kind of compiling is a bit of a tightrope was solidified into worldwide move- volume of three or four hundred pages walk. ment. Today protests pop up in the before I even started to work on the Stuttgart basin about the new train script. The basis was Gerd Koenen’s Where did you put your focus? station, around the new sound-pollu- book, research and interviews that I wanted to learn something different ting flight routes entering Berlin and I did, and about 30 other books and about the political charge of this up- on the train rails headed to nuclear archive materials. I often ran into con- rising, move away from the string of waste dump in Gorleben.

So they are local pro- test movements... Connecting up the dif- ferent hotspots could reveal a general mist- rust of development or decision-making and power structures. I think there are clear parallels. At the be- ginning of 1967, there was a study underta- ken about the situa- tion and attitude of students. That study claimed that students flicting accounts. In one documentary images and closer to the personal, are apolitical and only interested in I heard one voice, in the next another political and historical, biographical their own advancement, with no social that put the first into question. But and sociological drivers. What moti- concerns. Three months later hund- as director of a feature film that had vates a person to be so discontented reds of thousands of students were in to create a cohesive narrative, I was with this world? I am familiar with the streets. These kinds of processes

16 often happen when we least expect it. By accident, as is so often the case. graphic decomposition because it dis- No one could have predicted that the One night at some point, I stumbled tances the audience, thereby avoiding building of a new train station in Stutt- upon a film from Chris Marker, who – the ritual of feeling directly effected – gart would provoke protests which for me – has been the master of film something we’ve so often seen – and were held by a section of the populati- essays since making “Sans Soleil.” It going for something else. It becomes on that normally do not protest. was a film about communism, the po- material that no longer fulfills an in- litical battle of the 20th Century, mas- formative, documentary function but Images leave burn marks, sively complex. This footage was in it. overcomes that by being transformed. the rest lands in the I immediately said, “This footage, this ashbin of history is it!” I don’t want the famous images, Will there be another feature film from I want the beginnings, the innocence documentary filmmaker Andreas Veiel? There are always run-ups to such of these actions, the pleasure of these I am the kind of person that delves events. What interests me is this actions. Chris Marker had the pilots into research and then decides about process: which images give that ca- intercut with images of burnt bodies the form. It gets harder and harder talyzing effect? That is why I worked and it got rather propagandistic. It’s to touch those social pressure points with archive materials for IF NOT US, much more interesting to see it in it’s with documentary. But I would prefer WHO. Images leave burn marks, the untouched form. to continue telling stories in documen- rest lands in the ashbin of history. tary form, definitely. However, under Vietnam, the children running, torched Alongside this unknown footage, you certain conditions I will choose other by napalm, screaming, this image re- also use well-known images from forms, as with THE KICK and now mains but the context, the conditions June 2, 1967: Iranian Secret Service IF NOT US, WHO. Documentary work in which it was taken are not important beating students who are demonstra- allows me to tell a story with more to anyone anymore. ting. The soundtrack plays the Lovin’ complexity. In purely fictional works Spoonful hit “Summer in the City.” my hands are tied by dramaturgical Among the archive images that you use Why? needs and emotional undertones. That in IF NOT US, WHO, there is footage of For a long time, I toyed with garnishing can be stretched, but if it were about the bombing of a Vietnamese village. this film with this classic. I took a very the complexity of a finance system, The fighter-bomber pilot is commen- clear decision in choosing “Summer in bringing a love story into the mix would ting his act practically with glee. How the City” after listening to a hundred be absurd. Structures are in one play- did you find these scenes? other titles. And I chose this choreo- ing field; love stories are in another.

17 MAIN CAST Bernward Vesper AUGUST DIEHL Gudrun Ensslin LENA LAUZEMIS Andreas Baader ALEXANDER FEHLING Will Vesper (Bernward‘s Father) THOMAS THIEME Rose Vesper (Bernward‘s Mother) IMOGEN KOGGE Helmut Ensslin (Gudrun‘s Father) MICHAEL WITTENBORN Ilse Ensslin (Gudrun‘s Mother) SUSANNE LOTHAR Ruth Ensslin (Gudrun‘s Sister) MARIA-VICTORIA DRAGUS Walter Jens (Professor) BENJAMIN SADLER Klaus Roehler SEBASTIAN BLOMBERG Stokely Carmichael EDDIE JORDAN Lady Prison Warden SUSANNE-MARIE WRAGE Dörte (Gudrun‘s Friend/Roommate) VICKY KRIEPS Kunzelmann MARTIN BUTZKE Publisher PETER BENEDICT Bernward Vesper (child) JONAS HÄMMERLE

MAIN CREW Director ANDRES VEIEL Screenplay ANDRES VEIEL Director of Photography JUDITH KAUFMANN Sound Mixer PAUL OBERLE Production Design CHRISTIAN M. GOLDBECK Costume Design BETTINA MARX Editor HANSJÖRG WEISSBRICH Music ANNETTE FOCKS Line Producer ANNE LEPPIN

Producer THOMAS KUFUS (zero one film, Germany) Co-Producers Anatol Nitschke (deutschfilm, Germany) Helge Sasse (Senator Film Produktion, Germany) SWR / WDR / DEGETO

IF NOT US, WHO

2011 - GERMANY - 124 minutes - 35mm - color - Cinemascope - Dolby Digital - in German

18 a film by ANDRES VEIEL

a production of zero one film (GERMANY)

in co-production with SWR (GERMANY), DEGETO (GERMANY), WDR (GERMANY), deutschfilm (GERMANY), Senator Film Produktion (GERMANY)

with the support of Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA) Beauftragter der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien (BKM) Deutscher Filmförderfonds (DFFF) Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg MFG Filmförderung Baden-Württemberg Filmförderung Schleswig-Holstein (FFHSH) Hessische Filmförderung

world sales THE MATCH FACTORY

production zero one film GmbH Lehrter Strasse 57 . D-10557 Berlin . Germany Tel: +49 30 390 66 30 . Fax: +49 30 394 58 34

19 with support from

A FILM BY ANDRES VEIEL

INTERNATIONAL PRESS: WORLD SALES: RICHARD LORMAND world cinema publicity THE MATCH FACTORY www.fi lmpressplus.com www.the-match-factory.com [email protected] [email protected] Tel. +33-9-7044-9865 (France) Balthasarstrasse 79-81 +1-337-214-4815 (USA) 50670 Cologne, Germany In Berlin: Tel. +49-221-539-709-0 Tel. +49-152-2422-1837 or +33-6-0949-7925 Fax. +49-221-539-709-10

THE MATCH FACTORY PRESENTS IF NOT US, WHO A ZERO ONE FILM PRODUCTION IN CO-PRODUCTION WITH SWR, DEGETO, WDR, DEUTSCHFILM AND SENATOR FILM PRODUKTION A FILM BY ANDRES VEIEL WITH AUGUST DIEHL LENA LAUZEMIS ALEXANDER FEHLING THOMAS THIEME IMOGEN KOGGE MICHAEL WITTENBORN SUSANNE LOTHAR SEBASTIAN BLOMBERG CASTING SIMONE BÄR DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY JUDITH KAUFMANN EDITOR HANSJÖRG WEISSBRICH PRODUCTION DESIGN CHRISTIAN M. GOLDBECK COSTUME DESIGN BETTINA MARX MAKE UP MONIKA MÜNNICH DORIS JUNKER LIGHT DESIGN TIMM BRÜCKNER SOUND MIXER PAUL OBERLE SOUND DESIGN DIRK JACOB

RE-RECORDING MIXER LARS GINZEL MARTIN STEYER MUSIC ANNETTE FOCKS POSTPRODUCTION SUPERVISOR MELANIE BERKE PRODUCTION MANAGER MARK NOLTING LINE PRODUCER ANNE LEPPIN Layout: Christiane Jäger CO-PRODUCERS ANATOL NITSCHKE HELGE SASSE PRODUCER THOMAS KUFUS WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY ANDRES VEIEL BASED ON THE BOOK VESPER, ENSSLIN, BAADER. URSZENEN DES DEUTSCHEN TERRORISMUS BY GERD KOENEN PUBLISHED BY KIEPENHEUER & WITSCH, COLOGNE / GERMANY.