Mariele Millowitsch is 'not so Christmas-crazy' - Mariele Millowitsch is 'not so Christmas-crazy'
Mariele Millowitsch will star in a festive ZDF film this Christmas. The actor plays Lale, a department store manager who finds herself locked inside the shop on Christmas Eve. Alongside her, a group of strangers—each hoping for their own holiday miracle—wait for morning to arrive.
The film, Christmas at the Olymp, was shot in a real department store in Vilnius, Lithuania. Directed by Sigi Rothemund, it tells the story of Lale, who unexpectedly reunites with her first love, played by Joachim Król, during the night.
Millowitsch has fond memories of department stores from her childhood. As a girl, she loved visiting a grand store in Cologne with her mother before Christmas. Riding the escalator and enjoying a queen’s vol-au-vent in the upstairs restaurant were highlights for her. Despite her nostalgia, the actor does not share the same enthusiasm for the modern holiday rush. She avoids the Christmas shopping frenzy and prefers the calm that settles once the stores close on Christmas Eve. In real life, she spends the day with friends rather than in crowded shops.
The film will air on ZDF on Christmas Day. It follows Lale and the others as they navigate unexpected connections and personal revelations while trapped inside the store. Millowitsch’s role as the manager adds a personal touch, blending her own childhood memories with the story’s festive themes.
