Lilith Stangenberg began her acting career at P14 youth theater of the Volksbühne Berlin. Without training as an actor, she was then hired at the Basel Theater and the Hanover Theater and from 2009 to 2012 was in the ensemble of the Zurich Schauspielhaus. At the same time, she also worked for film and television. As a film actress, Stangenberg was best known for the multi-award-winning leading role in Nicolette Krebitz ‘s feature film Wild , in which she played a young woman who had a relationship with a wolf. In October 2018, she starred in the television film “Tatort: Blut”, the leading role in an episode of a woman suffering from a light allergy, who believes she is a vampire. In “Orphea“, the adaptation of the myth of Orpheus with reverse gender roles by Alexander Kluge and Khavn, she embodies the title role. The film celebrated its world premiere at the Berlinale 2020.
On the occasion of the #TheKhavnProject, we speak with her about her career, “Wild”, “Orphea”, working in the Philippines with two directors, singing, and of course, Khavn.
You started your career in theater. How did the transition to cinema occurred and what are the main differences between acting on theater and cinema? Which do you prefer doing?
I understand the stage in a theatre more like a boxing ring. It's a place where archaic laws are ruling- audiences are not applauding for the one who played the most but for the one who was the best. It's a place were actors have to deliver themselves every night again – and you start every night from the beginning- no one knows if you gave a good performance yesterday- what counts is tonight- that's very different to acting in movies- if you made a good film years ago, people remember that- it seems it's preserved for eternity. I was very dedicated to the theatre for years, learned a lot there, about how to carry a thought, about vaudeville, about language and to use it like a sword. In the movies your face becomes your stage- I had to learn to enjoy the intimacy the camera asks for … to fall deep into emotions and to dedicate myself in a very different way- maybe it's like on stage you take on an armor and in the movies you go naked.
How was your cooperation with Nicolette Krebitz in “Wild”?
It was the first time I was a leading lady in a movie – I felt like I had to carry the whole film on my shoulders – what I know now it's not true – a movie is a more complex creation. During that shoot, I did a lot of things for the first time. Not just the whole encounter and the playing with a wild animal – the wolf – but also that character and Nicolette challenged me on many levels, getting naked in front of a camera in a physical but also an emotional way for instance -it's not the easiest thing to learn – Nicolette accompanied my way through it – sometimes every step – sometimes I could run away all alone, but there was this trust I always had into her and her vision.
How did you end up acting in Orphea? How was the experience of working with two directors?
I discovered Khavn's movies a couple of years ago and I fell in love with them, his certain language of storytelling, his philosophical, political sense of seeing or understanding the existence and I was shocked by this very powerful and rare beauty and poetry in his films. Then I met Khavn in Berlin when he was showing his silent films there in October 2018. I told him about my fascination for his films and when I ended up shooting “Orphea” it was a big dream which came true for me.
Alexander Kluge's work I knew and adored for a long time and shooting with him made me really happy. As different as the cinematic language of both of them is , there is a certain togetherness, like a longing to leave the rational reasonable space, also in acting- like they ask for a purity or childlike greenness or naivety – maybe they want to put the spectator into a place where they loose control of the mind and unexpected things can happen.
How was the experience of shooting in Manila?
That was a mind-blower! I can honestly say it changed me- my awareness of myself, as a human being but also my understanding of art.
How would you describe Orphea de Jesus as a character? What was the most difficult aspect of the role?
Orphea is an unconditional lover. She loves Euridiko more than her life- one could say it's love till self-abandonment,what makes her so rare. Especially today where also our love suffers under the dictatorship of economy and capital. I think it's incredible that she dares to search Euridiko in the realm of the death, she takes the risk of being buried alive, an apocalyptic nightmare, just to find her love back. That's some strength of love I don't find often these days were everyone is dating/ tindering/ divorcing etc…
In the film, you also sing. How as that experience?
While we were shooting in Manila, I had an earplug with the music- but it fell off all the time during the action and often I lost connection when I moved too far or too quickly or whatever and we mostly did only about one or two takes , so it was quite overwhelming with the singing. I was sure we will do it later in post-production and I can sing again but that never happened … so I guess in the chaos or in my struggle was more truth than in my sense of perfection …
How would you describe Khavn's cinematic style?
It's like he creates his movies out of a very personal understanding of his existence and the world around him, so he creates something highly personal, but, at the same time, something universal and extremely modern. Sometimes, I feel his movies could be a look into a dystopian future of humanity. But even though the themes are often cruel and painful, the echo of his films are mostly encouraging and they leave you behind with a feeling of strength and a belief in life.
How would you describe Khavn as a person?
Completely aware of all the ugliness and darkness of reality but, like a phoenix, he is able to create something hyper beautiful out of it- he is a real dandy- a samurai, a visionary and he has that highly contagious laugh only children have.
What new projects are you working on at the moment?
I just came back from LA where I worked on a movie about Adolf and Eva with the artist Paul McCarthy, I play Eva Braun, Hitler's girlfriend who committed suicide with him.
