Stranger than Fiction (2006)
Schräger als Fiktion
Interview with Marc Forster
Marc Forster
This is the third interview OutNow.CH has had with Swiss director Marc Forster within the same amount of years. It sort of becomes a habit that we chat him up whenever he is in town for a new film. This time he even skipped the Golden Globes to talk to the Swiss media outlets, in spite of his latest film, the marvelous comedy Stranger than Fiction being nominated in the best actor category.
The interview was rather short, since the press people urged us to cut short. They were not at all on time and Marc had other appointments later that night. So we had to make the best out of our ten seven minute time slot.
» Das Interview in deutscher Sprache.
His life is also "stranger than fiction".
OutNow.CH (ON): What is for you "stranger than fiction"?
Marc Forster (MF): I think my life is pretty much "stranger than fiction" right now. But apart from that, the whole world has become stranger than fiction. You see helicopters bringing snow to downhill races in Kitzbühel and on the other side you have fires underneath orange trees to prevent the fruits from freezing. Something is slightly wrong.
ON: Are you as happy a possible with the final film?
MF: I'm happy with the film, when I see them in a theatre and with the sound system I've designed it for. When I see projections with the wrong colour of print however, then I suddenly am not happy with the film anymore because I feel that there are all these issues going on.
ON: Which character do you relate to the most in Stranger than Fiction?
MF: I relate with all of them in a certain bit. I definitively relate to Maggie Gyllenhaal's character. To a certain degree I also relate to Dustin Hoffmann's character. He's just too funny. I even relate to Will Ferrell as Harold Crick. Even though he is a slight caricature there's an incredible amount of humanity in him. And he feels something we all go through - that experience that we suddenly wake up. I think life is about waking up.
Forster and Hoffmann on Set.
ON: This is your second film with Dustin Hoffmann. What's the connection between the two of you like?
MF: I just love Dustin Hoffmann. After Finding Neverland we became close friends. Is just adore him. When I read the script, no one else came to mind but Dustin. He had to play the part.
ON: Which one of you respects the other more?
MF: One should always respect the older one more. But it's very mutual. He has a warm and endearing quality. His humour is genuine.
ON: The names in your cast are getting bigger and bigger. Has it become easier for you to attract stars over the years?
MF: It is getting easier, but on the other hand it doesn't. I'm still not making the archetypical Hollywood film. My films are slightly off the regular beat. It's still difficult to get the budget right and get it all set and done. But in this film it didn't really occur because they were big stars.. In the end it all fell into place. My next film Kite Runner will have no stars.
ON: When we last met, you said you're not making 36 but you still seem to be attached to project.
MF: It's still a mistake. I am not making the movie. Several of my press people and publicists have asked to remove this misleading information from the internet, but it is still out there and everyone is writing about it. I was never attached to it. I never said yes to it.
ON: To finish this up. I'll give you some keywords and you just tells me what pops into your mind when you hear them.
MF: Ok
ON: Will Ferrell
MF: Humble
ON: Personal directorial style
MF: (After a long pause) Silence. (He laughs)
ON: Is that a "no comment"?
MF: Yes. No comment.
ON: Small talk.
MF: Sometimes necessary
ON: Worst movie of all times
MF: I don't have one.
ON: Halle Berry
MF: I love her!
ON: OutNow.CH
MF: I'm not so familiar with it. But I don't think you want to publish that. (laughs)
