Lars Eidinger in the Interview: It's all about the freedom of art

If the Name Kirill Serebrennikov falls, what do you think of first?

Simon Strauss

editor in the features section.

I have a very friendly, almost loving relationship with him. The last Time we met in Avignon, it's been so long. I feel very connected with him. This is also the reason why his conviction for a ride now so, although I can't say on the case itself, of course, nothing, because I know the backgrounds. Kirill is a friend of mine, and if he says he is innocent, then I believe him. And that makes the process deeply tragic, because I have the feeling that someone is wrongly convicted, and there's nothing I can do about it.

Since when are you friends with both when you met?

We have, during a festival of new international drama on the stage met. And then it went to concrete plans of cooperation. He sent me a screenplay for a Film in which I play, but that didn't work out because of schedules. We were actually determined to make something together, but it was made by his indictment and house arrest impossible.

some time Ago there was in connection with them, and Serebrennikov a little scandal – what happened, exactly?

Yes, that was an insane story. It was about three years ago by the Russian politician Natalia Poklonskaya huge allegations against a Film that I've shot with the Director Alexej Utschitel about the Tsar Nicholas II. I was referred to her as a gay porn actor and a Satanist, and against the Film a bit of a smear campaign delivery in the country. In this time, I got a call from a person posing as Kirill Serebrennikov and asked me to publish a letter in his name. He called me allegedly from house arrest and was on the phone for several hours with me. And I fell on him in the first place, and I have published the letter. The next day there was a message from Kirill, in which he said that the letter was from him. The Whole has, at the time, hurt him and, of course, me. This ruthlessness and dishonesty it is that makes me frightened now, when I think of the verdict.