- "Karigula": Is Karla's affection towards Charlie profound enough to take his life?
Clown Charlie Can't Carry On
Charlie the Clown can't continue his act anymore. He can't make people chuckle, not even when they're paying him. That's why he's considering ending it all. But that's not the twist in the black comedy "Carnival Killer – Love's Obsession". The serial killer, Carla, can only kill those she's emotionally attached to. You can watch how this unfolds on the second channel from Monday to Tuesday at 0.30.
Charlie's Final Act
Their paths cross at a time when even Charly the Clown's final performance isn't on stage, but a bridge. He doesn't jump into the water below, but hangs upside down, helplessly - and serial killer Carla hears him just as she's about to dispose of her current lover, neatly wrapped up. She kidnaps Charlie, and for a moment, the dying clown seems to be terrified.
But Carla lets him go, drives off in her van, and he calls after her: "Wait, I want to die!" Now Charlie starts his quest to persuade the killer to aid his suicide mission: "I'm an atheist, you can do whatever you want with my body."
However, Carla has other plans for him. She, coincidentally, is a butcher by profession, and teaches him how to kill so he can convincingly confess to her crimes. From this web, a tender yet chilling romance blossoms - one that leaves the viewer's heart pounding.
A Movie for Home Viewing
More unsettling than funny, more tragic than comedic, this 80-minute emotional film is part of the "Shooting Stars – Young Cinema in the Second" series in July and August on ZDF. A contrast to the encroaching darkness on a warm summer evening, "Carnival Killer – Love's Obsession" is set against dark color worlds and a music and sound atmosphere designed to crank up the volume. If you have the option, it's a movie that belongs in the home cinema with a large screen and good sound quality, not just on a laptop.
Director and screenwriter Carsten Unger has chosen a daring style for his film: "We're following the expressionist film of the 20s, searching, experimenting, sometimes even stumbling, but still powerful in the chamber play," he explained to ZDF.
What is This Love?
He praises his main actors, Ben Becker and Sabine Timoteo: "Their faces and the power of the film music form the anchor that the chamber play swings back and forth to absurd heights, until the filmic space breaks open and all genre conventions are suddenly shattered, to tell a strange and honest story about love."
But that's not all. The film about the despair of a failing clown and the obsession of a serial killer is actually a film about the fundamental question: What is love and what does it do to us?
The ZDF youth editorial team "Das kleine Fernsehspiel" presents the "Shooting Stars" series - for the twelfth time this summer. Besides "Carnival Killer – Love's Obsession", the five comedies include "The Black Square", "Sweet Disaster", "The Ordinaries", and "Everyone Wants to Be Loved".
The European Union might express its concerns about the violence depicted in the film "Carnival Killer – Love's Obsession," given its strict regulations on media content. Despite the film's dark themes, however, it could still be screened in various EU countries due to their varied censorship policies.
In light of its success in festivals and positive reviews, "Carnival Killer – Love's Obsession" might be nominated for various European Film Awards, showcasing the diversity and creativity of European cinema.
