Cyrill Boss, Philipp Stennert Discuss Epic Fantasy ‘Hagen,’ Searching for Charles Bronson, Lee Marvin Type, Finding Gijs Naber
variety.comEd Meza @edmezavar For writers and directors Cyrill Boss and Philipp Stennert, Wolfgang Hohlbein’s 1986 bestselling novel “Hagen von Tronje” was the ideal material to adapt not only into a feature film, but also into an epic six-part series.
The story recounts the Nibelung saga, which follows the dragon slayer Siegfried and the fate of the Burgundian kingdom, albeit from a different perspective – that of Hagen von Tronje, traditionally the antagonist of the tale, seen as a dark figure with dubious motives.
In “Hagen,” which premieres at the Zurich Film Festival, the titular character (played by Dutch actor Gijs Naber) is lord commander to King Gunter (Dominic Marcus Singer) of Burgundy.
With his sense of duty and iron determination, it is Hagen who holds the crisis-ridden kingdom together. A loyal servant, disciplined and rational, Hagen faces a grave challenge when the bold, emotional and uncontrolled Siegfried (Jannis Niewöhner) arrives in Worms, the capital of the Burgundian kingdom, threatening the old structures.
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