What are the films or people that had impacts on you and deeply inspired you to become a filmmaker?

I always act out of myself first. Everyone has to go and find his (own) way. You can follow paths, but then you are just a copy - it depends on you and what you have to say to the world. But of course there were and are people and films that influenced me, such as Christopher Nolan's film Memento. For me, Christopher Nolan is a visionary. But also Quentin Tarantino, Leonardo di Caprio.

I admire people who go their own way and achieve their goals despite all obstacles. I know some of them personally. 

In Germany I like Til Schweiger, who always makes very high quality, emotional films. The list could go on forever ... maybe one more thing: 

I also find Ellen Pompeo very exciting. Grey´s Anatomy has certainly been successful worldwide over these many years.

As a teenager, I was very fond of Madonna because she kept reinventing herself.

You have made your nice film“Zu Den Sternen” which was Officially Selected in the 

"American Golden Picture International Film Festival".

Why you decided to make it?

First of all, I´m very happy that our Movie is officially selected in the "American Golden Picture International Film Festival". 

That´s amazing! I didn't want to make a typical Stasi GDR film again, but rather focus on the characters that the 

author (Dirk Josczok) describes so well and show how important it is to defend democracy - it is certainly not the best system, 

but I don't know of any better! Günter Barton, who plays the role of Marco Hoffmann, introduced me to the author Dirk Josczok over 6 years ago.

So this is where I came into contact with the script for the first time. Right from the start I was fascinated by the fact that it is about two best friends who have a common past, but have nothing to do in the future. And that it was a political regime that tests and tested their friendship.

And of course also the question of what such a regime does to someone. With all the eavesdropping mechanisms,

the fear of being betrayed and of not being really free. I wanted to show what a regime like this can do with people without just looking

to the government to blame, but rather to discover how two people like you and me can still be traumatized today with such a past.

My stepfather fled the GDR and was very active in the church there because it was sometimes the only place where you could speak freely.

I think many were under a lot of pressure. And sadly you can still find that today, just like then, such governments in the world.

The film is (unfortunately) timeless and more topical than ever and should show how important it is to protect democracy,

always and everywhere! The film is political without being political. That was and is important to me.  First and foremost, it's about friendship, love and betrayal. And what such a regime can do to people decades later.Friendship and here in the film even blood friendship 

has its limits - just  like in politics. Marco and Volker are both right and wrong at the same time. Sometimes the viewer is more for one, 

then again for the other. Both are right and wrong. Just like in real life. But what can a friendship endure? What is allowed and what is not?

To what extent does everyone bear responsibility for himself and his actions.

These are the questions I am dealing with here, among other things.