The German movie Distanz was created as a “time chronicle” during the epidemic. In order to create this movie, director Lars Knorrn was motivated by the terrifying pandemic-induced fear and uncertainty. Distanz (Distance) was shown at the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa in the “Cinema of the World” category. Director Lars Knorrn said, “I tried to explore the human need to push forward amid the fear and change happening around us,” during a press conference today.
The story of Laszlo, who isolates himself during the pandemic, is the focus of the movie. The movie was filmed within a single flat while a pandemic-induced lockdown was in effect. The performers and crew were required to adhere to the societal customs and the pandemic-related limitations. “I wanted the movie to look as natural and genuine as I could to show the emotions in their unfiltered form. When my colleagues were reluctant to shoot people in masks, the actors had to shoot while wearing them.
However, as the director made clear, it is not a movie about the pandemic. “The epidemic wasn’t the issue; rather, it served as a catalyst to highlight all of our internal issues. “Zoe enters the flat like a problem or virus and turns into a devastating force, while the character Laszlo is depicted defending himself,” he remarked.
“The epidemic was a life-changing event for humanity,” said Lars Knorrn. We must include this somewhere in the movie. It seemed like one’s work as a musician, photographer, writer, or filmmaker could not ignore the pandemic.
Aside from that, Lars Knorr added, “I wanted to portray the flat as a character, in which each room has its own sound and timbre.” Distanz also exhibits a resistance to change. Lars Knorrn once stated, “If you have to change, you have to let go of the fear.” He intended to tell the tale of two persons living in the same apartment. Additionally, he claimed that the movie illustrates how “sometimes you have to destroy yourself in order to refine yourself.”
