Nemek is to blame for everything again. He messed up the whole scene and now we have to shoot again. The Nemek, with a k at the end, who else? His fellow actor, Udo Wachtveitl, is quite sure of that. He suddenly stands tall and very present in the doorway to the hotel room where one of the final scenes of the crime scene “Queen” is being shot. “Didn’t it work out again?” he calls out, muffled indignation. In fact, it’s a spot on the wall that needs to be covered up, or the whole arrangement of a black-and-white checked armchair and a red floor lamp that leaves director Rudi Gaul dissatisfied. “I don’t know, that’s not really convincing,” he murmurs, looking at the small monitor that has been positioned in the hallway. Gaul jumps up again and runs into the room in which a murder has allegedly taken place – and which is about to be clarified here.
Who is the perpetrator – or the perpetrator? – of course Nemek, whose real name is Miroslav Nemec, and his long-serving colleague Udo Wachtveitl don’t want to reveal that. As inspectors Batic and Leitmayr, they have been investigating in Neufarn at Gutsgasthof Stangl since the end of September. The President of the Bavarian Federation, played by Wolfgang Fierek, died in a very brutal way: with a bolt gun that is normally used to kill cops. In the victim’s atmosphere, four young women also become suspects, all of them holders of a title for a year: the onion queen, the white sausage queen, the asparagus queen and the honey queen.
The look goes behind the ideal world facade of the so-called product queens
“Humorous, satirical, magical,” is how director Rudi Gaul describes the realization of the story, for which the Munich production company Odeon Fiction is responsible. In it, Gaul allows himself a glimpse behind the ideal world facade of the so-called product queens: young girls who advertise a specific product in their region for a year with a crown on their head. A world in which, in addition to a love of tradition and pride in Bavarian origins, sexual assault and sexism also prevail. Robert Löhr wrote the screenplay for “Königinnen”, already his second crime scene in Munich. According to Gaul, what fascinated him about the screenplay was the alternative world to the radiant performances of the young girls and the field of tension in which they walk.
High-gloss performances versus sexism: Director Rudi Gaul, here with actor Miroslav Nemec, was particularly interested in the dark side of the product queen business in the screenplay of “Königinnen”.
(Photo: Peter Hinz-Rosin)
During the shoot, says director Gaul, it was important to him to take the dreams of the young women seriously, not to make fun of the desire to be queen for a year. “We didn’t want to show the world as we would like it to be, but as it is,” explains producer Claudia Schneider. There had been a lot of discussion in the team about this topic beforehand, and the question kept coming up: “Have you ever experienced something like this before?”
The figures of the two commissioners have also changed as a result of #MeToo
According to actor Miroslav Nemec, who embodies investigator Ivo Batic, the characters of the inspectors have also changed in the course of #MeToo. “Batic and Leitmayr are watching the changes in society closely and cannot free themselves from them,” he says. In their investigations they would immerse themselves in foreign milieus; not for self-interest or to make one’s mark, but to delve into the enigma that each case poses.
Have been getting along with each other longer than some married couples: Udo Wachtveitl as Franz and Miroslav Nemec as Ivo have been investigating for 31 years
(Photo: Peter Hinz-Rosin)
In the cozy hallways of Gutsgasthof Stangl there are spotlights, large bags with make-up utensils and beer tables with large coffee pots on them, people with masks covering their mouths and noses sit on folding chairs and wait. Although the town of Neufarn itself does not play a major role in this crime scene, Udo Wachtveitl says it is much more pleasant to shoot in the Gutsgasthof than in the Munich subway shafts. He lay down again briefly during the lunch break and is now as awake as a gun dog. But even while he himself likes to mimic the interviewer when talking to the SZ, he also answers a few questions about the current shoot. His colleague Nemec sits next to him, calmly accepting the crochet from the side and, without being asked and certainly not for the first time, explains how to pronounce his name correctly and incorrectly. Nemek, so much can be revealed, is wrong.
Udo Wachtveitl alias Franz Leitmayr ensures a good mood and cheerfulness on the set, here during a break in shooting shortly before the case is resolved.
(Photo: Peter Hinz-Rosin)
The filming is not exactly saved – on the contrary
“Have you always wanted to be a journalist?” asks Wachtveitl, who certainly enjoys verbal exchanges of blows, and when asked how he ended up here, he replies: “They picked me up this morning, they forced me come along, and now I’m here.” In a serious moment, he turns to the production and praises it: Of course, one is always asked to economize in public broadcasting, but this shoot is characterized by its opulence, among other things. For example, 75 extras were present during a night shoot – “You can’t stage such a lavish party with ten extras.”
The next moment you hear an “And – please!” from further back in the hallway. It will continue to be rotated. Wachtveitl raises his voice and rumbles in the direction of the shoot: “Wait a minute, I’m giving an interview here – you must have gone crazy?” Here on the set, Wachtveitl is known, people giggle, grin, and as if nothing had happened, Wachtveitl turns back to the conversation and continues talking. In the past, the equipment and ambience only had to be enough for the German audience. In view of the streaming services, that is very different today, says Wachtveitl: “German productions are competing with films for the world market.”
The “white sausage queen” is a vegetarian in real life
Two of the product queens are also on set this afternoon. “I am the white sausage queen Sina,” introduces Bernadette Leopold. Sina, says the actress, is a butcher’s daughter, in whose butcher’s tradition is very important. That’s one of the reasons why she’s competing for the title. The role was new to her thematically. “I knew that there were wine queens,” says the actress, “but when I watched documentaries about it in preparation for the role, I was surprised at how much heart and soul the women put into it.” At first she asked herself: Why are you all doing this? The family, which is also part of this tradition, is often a decisive reason. As the white sausage queen, do you even taste the white sausage? Bernadette Leopold answers with a laugh: “I’m a vegetarian.”
In real life she is a vegetarian, but the actress Bernadette Leopold is the convincing white sausage queen in front of the camera.
(Photo: Peter Hinz-Rosin)
The role of Annelie, the queen of onions, is one with two sides, since she is also a prospective police officer, says actress Daria Vivien Wolf: “Annelie has a big wound inside her.” Her mother, a beautiful woman, was also the onion queen. Annelie herself is now applying for the title for the third time. In addition to this humiliation, Annelie is a great feminist, says Wolf: “She knows what’s going wrong.” The challenge of her role is to reconcile this young, injured side with the mature, courageous woman.
The shooting of “Königinnen” is now the second Tatort shooting in the district within a few months, the planned broadcast date is in the second half of 2023. Finally, one question has to be asked: wool, honey, or something completely different – for which one product would Udo Wachtveitl be elected king? The actor thinks about it and says: “For bikes. Because then I would be equipped with the most amazing bikes all year round.” After a short pause he adds: “Now that’s a boring answer. Let’s say jet.”