Iris Berben moved to Munich in the 1960s and took her first steps as an actress. In the "Welt am Sonntag" she looks back on the beginning of her career and the earlier life in the city. Her film career started when she was "cast as a pretty girl," according to Berben. "It was a really good motor because it drove me to prove that I had more to offer than attractiveness. Nevertheless, being a pretty girl was a good door opener at the time," says the 72-year-old.
Berben used to be a convent student
It's "nice to be perceived as attractive" - at least "if you're not reduced to it". She further reflects: "I was extremely shy because of my upbringing in the convent school and 13 years "Image" at the first kiss in Italy. I've never experienced orgies." For many, sex was a "shameful topic", and nudity in the parental home was "often taboo".
A lot of things that are seen as offensive today weren't felt that way back then
She remembers one experience in particular: "Once there were 'living' advertising pillars on Leopoldstrasse, including girls. You could put your hands in an opening and touch her breasts. I was stunned, but we thought so not discriminatory at all." Rather, it was "pure provocation in the context of a completely different time", "against any form of bourgeoisie"."A lot of what you see as offensive today wasn't felt that way at all back then. We were all very physical, people whistled at you and you took it as a compliment," says Berben.
MeToo debate "is right"
"It is of course right and extremely important that we have the MeToo discussion today," says the actress. "But we also liked freedom of movement back then. We were easygoing with each other and wanted to thumb our noses at the Conservatives." She loses critical words about the city of Munich: "For the blink of an eye, Munich was world class. Today it has turned into a lazy dachshund with a golden bone in its mouth."
Iris Berben will soon be seen in the film "Triangle of Sadness". The tragic comedy won the Palme d'Or for Best Picture at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival."Triangle of Sadness" will be released in German cinemas on October 13, 2022.
