Status: 12.10.2023, 16:23 PM
By: Katja Kraft
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Jannik (Lorenzo Germeno) in Axel Ranisch's TV series "Naked over Berlin". © Oliver Feist
Axel Ranisch's series "Naked over Berlin" is a little TV gem. And a virtuoso composition of thriller, coming-of-age, drama, love story - garnished with the most beautiful classical music. Our TV tip.
Axel Ranisch's own aspirations for theatre, opera or film projects? "I want my mom to like it." The 40-year-old's mother will certainly like his new series "Naked over Berlin". Because it's also a declaration of love to empathetic women like her. Ranisch, known for the film "Fat Girls" (2011) or in Munich for opera productions such as "Mavra" (2019) at the Cuvilliéstheater, always tells a part of his own story in his works. As every artist does, nothing is created in a vacuum. In the case of the Berliner, who is overflowing with enthusiasm, the autobiographical is so striking because he has often felt like an outsider in his life. And accordingly, with a loving eye, artistically turns to those who dance a bit out of line.
"Naked over Berlin" is the adaptation of Axel Ranisch's novel of the same name
The ARD Mediathek shows all six episodes of the miniseries "Naked over Berlin", in which Ranisch adapted his novel of the same name from 2018 (Ullstein, 384 pages, ten euros). The main character is Jannik (Lorenzo Germeno) – just like Axel Ranisch as a teenager, chubby, good-natured and timid. This Jannik can't quite handle his big Viking body yet, sometimes seems clumsy like an elephant in a china shop. But he is not unhappy. Jannik has discovered an endless source of joy for himself – classical music. The 19-year-old Lorenzo Germeno plays Jannik in an incredibly touching way, for example when he conducts an imaginary orchestra in his childhood bedroom above the rooftops of the Berliner Platte. Preferably Tchaikovsky. Jannik knows that the composer was gay. Just like himself. Only the thing with the outing and the first love is somehow an extra portion more difficult than puberty already is.
Playing with fire: Tai (Anh Khoa Tran, left) and Jannik (Lorenzo Germeno) have picked up their drunken headmaster Jens Lamprecht (Thorsten Merten) on a park bench, dragged him home – and locked him up in his own apartment. © Oliver Feist/SWR
A classic coming-of-age story, then? Not with Ranisch. With his usual virtuosity, he tells the story of crime, romance, drama, horror show on several levels – in short: life. The starting point is a nocturnal action by Jannik and his buddy Tai (Anh Khoa Tran). When Tai discovers her drunken headmaster (Thorsten Merten) on a park bench at night, he calls Jannik in. They are amused by the hated pedagogue, manoeuvre him into his apartment – and spontaneously lock him up there. But the funny prank becomes more and more a dangerous game with fire, and they hold the man captive for days. Humiliate him, torment him.
Axel Ranisch shows himself to be an incorrigible philanthropist
Very cleverly, Ranisch allows the main plot and other narrative levels to flow into each other in a virtuoso manner. It's about dealing with one's own family (magical: Alwara Höfels as Jannik's good soul of a mother) and with origins in general. It's about bullying and exclusion, about standing up for one's own mistakes. It's about forgiveness, including oneself, remorse, honesty. And, what else about the incorrigible philanthropist Axel Ranisch – about love.
It is staged with extraordinary sensitivity, interspersed with dream sequences, with bizarre wit – and driven by the most wonderful music. A little TV gem after which you look a little more leniently at yourself and others. More courage to be different – it's not just mom who likes that.