Theaterkunst Talk
Juliane Maier and Christian Röhrs
Costume designers Juliane Maier and Christian Röhrs have jointly developed a costume design for the ZDF film ‘Rosenthal’ that is set in the 1970s and offers a look back to the 1940s. The duo have worked together successfully on films such as ‘In den Gängen’, ‘Curveball’ and ‘Cranko’ and are now proving their flair for biopics once again.
Christian Röhrs came to the theatre via the visual arts and from there to film in 2004. He made his debut as a future costume designer with the film ‘Katze im Sack’ (2005), which won the First Step Award in the same year. Since then, he has developed the costume design for films such as ‘Islands’, ‘Das Lehrerzimmer’, ‘Es gilt das gesprochene Wort’ and ‘Ivo’.
Juliane Maier entered the film business in 2001 after studying design. Her work includes, for example, ‘Zeit der Kannibalen’, ‘Oh Boy’, ‘Die Stillen Trabanten’ and the successful Instagram series ‘Ich bin Sophie Scholl’. For the costume design of ‘Wir sind jung. We are strong’, she won the Bild-Kunst Förderpreis in 2014.
ZDF is dedicating a ‘TV film of the week’ to its unforgotten quizmaster Hans Rosenthal (‘Dalli Dalli’) for his 100th birthday, which shows the entertainer from a hitherto largely unknown side: in the conflict between show business and his past as a Jewish person in Germany. Several customised suits were made in our studio for Florian Lukas as Hans Rosenthal.
Copyright Portrait: Juliane Maier, Christian Röhrs
Copyright “Rosenthal”: ZDF/if… Productions/Ella Knorz
Copyright “In den Gängen”: Sommerhaus Film
Theaterkunst
Juliane Maier and Christian Röhrs
You developed the costume design for the film ‘Rosenthal’ together. How did you approach the project and what research did you do to portray Hans Rosenthal as millions of television viewers know him?
Christian Röhrs: Together with our director Oliver Haffner, we researched documentaries and footage of Hans Rosenthal and his environment and watched old Dalli Dalli programmes.
Juliane Maier: In particular, we studied the 75th anniversary broadcast, which is the core of our film, from the first to the last second. At the same time, we read Hans Rosenthal’s autobiography ‘Two Lives in Germany’, which touched us deeply.
How is Rosenthal’s dichotomy between show business and his biography as a Holocaust survivor reflected in his costume design?
Christian Röhrs: As a public figure, he always dressed smartly. In the flashbacks, we learn about his fate as a Jewish orphan during the Holocaust.
Juliane Maier: In his role as presenter, he saw himself as an entertainer who wanted to offer people cheerful entertainment and not political arguments.
How did you get into costume design and what do you still love about it today – after several years in the profession?
Juliane Maier: As a child, I made and sewed my dolls’ clothes from scraps of fabric. As a teenager, I sat in the cinema, watched ‘Night on Earth’ and wanted to become a costume designer. What excites me about the profession is the ever-changing content, the close collaboration with the director, cast, set and make-up designers, as well as the elementary combination of creativity, psychology and organisation.
Christian Röhrs: I found my way to costume design through the visual arts and over time the focus has shifted….
What do you particularly appreciate about a costume house?
Christian Röhrs: I find a costume house inspiring. The different, beautifully curated costumes and the expert advice.
Juliane Maier: During a costume rehearsal, new ideas always come up that you can try out and add to on an ad hoc basis. I also appreciate meeting colleagues who you wouldn’t otherwise bump into – even if you hardly ever have time to chat…
Can you tell us what you’ll be doing in 2025?
Juliane Maier: Maybe something with rap.
Christian Röhrs: This is still in the pipeline.
Thank you very much for the interview! See you soon!
Christian Röhrs: See you soon at Theaterkunst!
Juliane Maier: Thank you very much, best regards!
