Colleagues working at the agency reconnect for social outing

Friendly Faces in the Shadows: A Comical or Melancholic Examination? 🥪🤔🇩🇪

Filmmaker Bernhard Wenger's satirical work, "Pheasant - Am I Real?" sheds light on a modern entrepreneurial venture.

24.02.2025 Film Thomas Abeltshauser Issue: 2/2025

Mr. Wenger, what sparked the idea for "Pheasant - Am I Real?"?

Back in 2014, I stumbled upon an article in the New Yorker about "Rent-a-Friend" agencies in Japan. There, individuals could pay for a friend or relative to accompany them for coffee, a walk, or an opera night. These companions weren't just for pleasant company but also for better public appearances, power demonstrations, or social manipulation. I found this concept captivating and jotted it down, only to pick it up years later when I embarked on my first feature film.

Did you connect with real "Rent-a-Friend" agencies for research?

Absolutely! I visited Japan with research in mind, met employees of such agencies, and gained significant insights into their particular world. One person I spoke with shared how, through her job of constantly playing different roles, she sometimes struggled to figure out her own identity. The resulting internal conflict for the main character became a cornerstone for the film's narrative.

Colorful Cinema Offerings 🌈🌟

The protagonist, Matthias, is a man with no defined personality. He merely caters to others' desires. Is such a character more of a dream or a nightmare for a director?

Writing the script for a character like Matthias, who seems to embody other people's expectations rather than his own, was quite the challenge. His ability to adapt to various roles, whether as a well-informed art enthusiast or a businessman's admiring son, was both fascinating and problematic. I found the contrast between his efficacy in transforming for others and his lost and aimless self in private life an intriguing aspect of the character.

How did you secure Albrecht Schuch, famed for roles in "Dear Thomas," "Chess Novel," and "All Quiet on the Western Front," for the starring role?

I've always admired Albrecht for his incredible range as an actor. With Matthias needing to be equally adaptable, selecting Albrecht seemed like the perfect choice. Not only is he mesmerizing to watch, but his charisma was essential for engaging the audience with a character like Matthias.

"Pheasant - Am I Real?" is a satire yet possesses tragic elements. How did you strike the right tone?

Humor is strongest when paired with tragedy. So, I constructed a surreal story around a dramatic core narrative. My humor has evolved over time, influenced by Scandinavian cinema and British comedies that emphasize dark humor. Visual elements like set design, costumes, and editing contribute significantly to the comedy in "Pheasant - Am I Real?".

Humor needs tragedy to thrive - Bernhard Wenger

Are the outlandish orders and situations Matthias encounters based on actual events or merely creative inventions?

While some incidents have roots in reality or similar forms, others were crafted to tell the movie's narrative. However, there are real orders too bizarre to convincingly portray in a film, though I've heard tales of them.

Is "Rent-a-Friend" a growing trend across Europe as well?

While a flourishing European "Rent-a-Friend" market, similar to Japan's, isn't evident, there are platforms that facilitate social connections or networking. For instance, the Rent A Cyber Friend app allows individuals to chat with people worldwide, though it doesn't physically employ friends for in-person interactions.

In Europe, the idea of renting a friend might seem familiar, as people often engage others to project a particular social image. This could be a result of social media's long-standing standard of curating an image of perfection, even if it's a pretense.

Entertainment Picks in Cologne 🎬🏙️

The movie "Pheasant - Am I Real?" would fit perfectly in the 'movies-and-tv' and 'entertainment' genres, given its comical and melancholic examination of a modern world of renting companions for social appearances.
In exploring the idea of a protagonist with no defined personality, director Bernhard Wenger delves into the realm of 'movies-and-tv' entertainment by proposing the character of Matthias, a man who caters to others' desires while grapple with his own identity.