Exclusive Interview for "The Safe" With Uwe Schwarzwalder

Madrid Film Awards
Jun 22
6 min read

Updated: Jun 27

Uwe Schwarzwalder is an actor from Zurich, Switzerland, with German and Bulgarian roots, who appeared in many film and TV productions in the US and Europe, starred in the multi-award-winning "The Radicalization of Jeff Boyd" in 2017, and "The Safe", also written and directed by him in 2023.

His project "The Spiritualization of Jeff Boyd" is his latest project. He is also seen in "Swiss Connections", a German crime series, as a detective, and in the TV crime film series "Tatort - Blinder Fleck.”

Film synopsis: Paul hits rock bottom when his heart is broken while his life seems to be leading nowhere. He decides to break free from it all. He is willing to do just about anything when he’s joining a heist plan orchestrated by a crack head and a corrupt cop. They manage to steal a safe box from some rough drug dealers and want to use the money to start a new life. At least this is what they hope until they realize that the heist is going totally wrong. Things gets complicated, tension ensues and the situation brings out the worst in them: envy, lies, betrayal and even murder followed by more murder. After losing his love and his friends Paul manages to escape alone. Will he be able to make it to the other side, to safety?

WATCH THE TRAILER!

https://vimeo.com/786646637

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In order to undertand the value of your piece, we would like to know more about the mind behind the process. How would you define your personal experience with cinema as a director? Could you tell us an experience or moment that change or challenge you?

Directing starts with the script and casting. You have a vision, especially when you write the screenplay yourself, and everything in the process that adds to the film has to be in sync with the idea as you would like it to be seen and understood. Communicating your thoughts during casting and read-throughs is very important and takes off the weight during shooting when everybody knows what it is all about. But sometimes, it is not easy, and you really have to push through and believe in what you're doing. At that moment, it might look weird, but when you have the global vision of the film, it is nice to see in editing that it works the way we shot it. I always say, the script is the boss! As I work with great acting coaches who teach universality, which can be applied to directing very well. A defining moment in this film with regard to directing was when a technical discussion about lighting and camera angle seemed to never end, and as a director, I got worried about losing the momentum, drive, and all these things, which I think are more important at the end. I stopped it by almost screaming: "Enough of technicalities”, and we moved on who turned out to great scenes!

Your film has a solid and ingenious story, combining suspense, action, morality, and very distinct characters. How did the idea come about?

Very simple - I had a coffee with my mother in the patio of her home, and we had a discussion about a heavy family safe I wanted to sell because we really don’t have lots of values in there, and it was kind of in the way, when I thought, how nice would it look in the night when some burglars with flashlights would approach through the bushes and break into the appartment, stealing the safe. This idea triggered all the rest.

Can you tell us any difficulties you had during the filming? And what was the editing process like? Since the pacing clearly shows that it was very carefully crafted.

The cabin where we shot is in a small forest in a little town in Switzerland, and maybe you can imagine that any loud noises would trigger a call to the police or at least a complaint. For sure, we didn’t want anybody to show up during filming. Even though we informed the police about it, you never know, like in another film project where we had a goon walking on a balcony for hours, gun in hand, when eventually a SWAT team of 7 heavily armored policemen and -women showed up and caught us by surprise and in shock. This time it all went fine. Editing was fun, with a great team of an additional editor who advised me on my rough cut, a colorist, and a sound designer.

We believe that the story, beyond the entertainment, contains a profound message. We could say that its structure resonates with the conflicts many people face today regarding society, corruption and the pursuit of freedom. How has your team's synergy influenced the project's outcome?

First, they liked the script, also because, as you mentioned, they looked beyond the entertainment part, and they could associate with all these dark themes, which makes the work more challenging and fun. All the actors placed great emphasis on preparation and backstories. They were very engaged, for which I am grateful.

We would like to know more about the how and why of this interesting approach for this feature film. If you had to name three key concepts to help everyone understand and enjoy more this film, what would they be?

1. Is it worth going for the fast and dangerous money when there might be easier solutions for a happy life? 2. Is human behaviour predictable, or do you have to constantly doubt, or at least challenge friendships, put them under scrutiny?

3. Can one get away with murder, literally or metaphorically?

How has the process of creating the characters been? And what was the most valuable thing you learned making this movie?

I was led by intuition and by blowing up the prototypes to universal characters to really recognise these in each other’s lives, or get at least a taste of it. I realized all these characters exist in real life in one way or another.

You combine acting with directing and screenwriting! Could you tell us more about your experience in film? And about the challenge of playing different roles in the same project? You've brought to life characters that were in your mind, and that must have been important when selecting the cast. What qualities did you look for in the actors when choosing them?

As I outlined before, most directorial work happens before shooting, so you then know the actors and trust them. I mostly chose trained actors as I love preparation and seeing actors doing them. I try to find out in casting if the actors understand the character and if they have similar experiences, of course, not in such a heavy way, but they can be blown up to meet the film’s characters. Doing all these tasks transcends to a greater intensity, which is great for a film. I like that intensity, and it actually pushes and motivates me, not going after a blueprint but rather letting it happen.

Did the film meet your expectations? Share your thoughts on the production, the competition area, their reach, and how you achieved them! Include your recognition on the MADFA international competition!

Actually, it did. I learned to leave a film alone once it’s finished. Some adjustments are fine, but we also have to move forward, maybe to another project. On this level, it is very difficult to reach a wide audience, as most spots are “reserved” for bigger budget projects. Hopefully, this changes. I’ve seen so many films at festivals that deserve a bright spot, maybe mine too. I was selected at MADFA with The Safe, which is quite an honor. We won almost 100 awards besides. The film is available on Amazon US so far, and we are working on getting more exposure, together with my distributor.

Bonus: Can you tell us something about your next job?

My next job, The Spiritualization of Jeff Boyd, is actually finished for a while and has won over 50 awards. My latest, Alphamen, just started the festival circuit. Now, I have to polish an already written screenplay for another film.

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