Sometimes You Just Have to Be Bold
The Swiss Movie Streaker Hits Washington, D.C.
Streaker: noun [ C ] U.S.: a person who runs naked through a public place in order to attract attention or to express strong disapproval of something. The game was interrupted when two streakers ran onto the field with a banner.
Desperate measures call for desperate solutions. In the hope of solving his financial difficulties, Balz Näf, a German teacher living in the Swiss town of Baden, comes up with an odd solution that requires a lot of boldness . . . and little clothing. Streaker (Flitzer, 2017), the Swiss comedy, opened the 2018 Filmfest DC, leaving the audience out of breath from laughter, but with a small reminder that sometimes you have to be bold and just go for it.
We had the pleasure to welcome Doro Müggler, Sandra Strebel in the movie, who shared her thoughts and stories about becoming an actress and becoming Sandra Strebel in Streaker.
What inspired you to begin your career as an actress? Was that what you had always planned?
I didn’t plan to be an actress. It took time to have the courage to do it. I first studied half of a bachelor’s degree in law in Switzerland, then did an apprenticeship. During my apprenticeship I joined a theatre group, where one of the actors encouraged me to get into an acting school. And I did; I went to the Zurich University of the Arts. Acting was always a wish of mine as a teenager, but I don’t originally come from a family with an artistic background, so it took me a little while.
What was your first role as an actress?
A year after graduating from acting school, I played in a Swiss TV movie. My role was a young lawyer defending a man who plants cannabis in Switzerland.
What is it like to be an actress in Switzerland?
I’m a freelance actress and producer. After my studies I immediately founded a performance group. I produce plays for children. I’ve always been quite independent in making my own projects. I was also very lucky to be able to play in several Swiss TV shows and movies. But Switzerland is a small country and it’s not comparable to being an actress here in the U.S. I have never been too dependent on people who ask me for roles because I’ve always done my own work.
What is the main difference between the film industry in the U.S. and in Switzerland?
It’s much smaller in Switzerland. I think there is not as much money as they have here. I don’t think it’s comparable because the U.S. is so much bigger than Switzerland. I heard that in the States the recognition of an actor’s profession is quite high, but in Switzerland you are still an outsider as a freelance actor/actress. I have been lucky so far with the money I could raise for projects. There are far fewer opportunities as an actress in Switzerland than there are here in the U.S.
Have you ever thought of working in the U.S.?
It always depends on the story, the project and the people. If an opportunity catches my eye, yes, I would.
Can you tell us a bit about Streaker, and the idea behind it? What inspired you to take on that role in the movie?
It’s a comedy. It’s very entertaining. The original idea came from Beat Schlatter, the lead actor of the movie. He planned on doing this idea of betting on streakers in real life. He wanted to have people bet on how long streakers can last on the football field. Then, he realized that its highly illegal and he could end up in jail. So instead, he transformed this idea into a movie. That’s when he brought in Peter Luisi, the director, who wrote the script. It’s the second movie I have worked on with them (Peter and Beat), so we knew each other quite well. They asked me to join them. I was really happy they invited me to play this role because it’s quite rare that you don’t have to go through casting for a lead role. I liked the script and the character of my role. Peter is a director that writes really good stories, really good plots, with very true relationships and I liked the challenge of playing an entertaining role.
How did you prepare for that specific role?
Any preparation is always specific because you are preparing for this specific story, this specific character and for what’s in that script, specifically. We had rehearsals, so it’s a lot about reading the scenes; imagining who this person is, what does she want, why is she acting the way she is acting? What are her wishes, desires and what is her life lacking? Then you build a human being more and more from that character. And so the goal is to be as real as possible in this character. It was quite fun for me to find out how a police officer behaves.
It’s a funny movie on screen. Was it as funny behind the scenes, too?
The main thing was that actors that had to be cast were required to be naked. So it wasn’t that easy, but everybody told me that after being naked for a while, it didn’t matter anymore, and they had fun running around the field.
What is the main message of the movie?
There is an important sentence in the movie that says, ‘Sometimes you just have to be bold.’ Just do it. Just be courageous and go for it. So that is the main message of the movie. And that goes for Sandra, but also for Beat, the main actor, and many of the other smaller characters.
Do you think the movie is going to be perceived differently in America?
I know from Peter that it has been shown at over 20 festivals worldwide, including many in the United States. Americans seem to like this movie a lot and respond to its entertaining element, even more than in Switzerland. I can’t answer the question and I find it quite funny that Americans find it so funny. If you see American movies, it’s quite conservative, it’s not that easy. So we are happy that Americans are so responsive. And it’s quite successful here in the States. And I have to pass on greetings from Beat and Peter. They are so happy that this is the opening film at the D.C. film festival.
What is your dream role?
I’m not looking ahead and thinking of possible roles. Every role is a dream role at the moment you’re acting it. When I make a choice of a role, at that moment it’s my dream role and I want to perform it at its best. The dialogue and the character have to be real, human, and true. And that in itself makes it a dream role.
What are your upcoming projects?
I’m on tour with a children’s play called Green Eggs and Ham. I’m also thinking of new projects at the moment. I won a scholarship from Bern, so I can take time for research and reflection. It’s a lot of thinking, reading and meeting people.
Watch Streaker trailer:
