Original subtitles

Fuck.

You're in withdrawal, right?

How long have you been off your medication?

Maybe you should put off your detox.

What's your goal, Ms. Konrad?

What are you hoping to find out?

Why my sister was murdered.

You'll have a long conversation. An interview.

And while you're at it, get a DNA sample. Correct?

THE TRAP

THE INTERVIEW

Broken.

Fakir.

Fakir?

Yeah.

Some crazy fakir.

Shoot.

Broken.

This one's broken too.

- Hello? - Hey. There's a problem with my car, and…

- Eddie, not on the road! - Did you have an accident? Are you okay?

No accident. Some idiots slashed my tires.

Sweetie, come here, please.

- They're all broken! - Yes, they're all broken.

Anyway, I'll need at least an hour to get to you.

But the interview is today.

Exactly.

- I wanted to help with the catering. - We agreed you'd come Wednesday.

Yes, but Rudow said it would be better--

Rudow.

Lisa, your last panic attack was only a week ago.

Yuma, please get your car fixed. I'll pay.

And I really look forward to seeing you on Wednesday.

Take care.

Okay.

My question is, what are you thinking?

First, you send Pia to me.

Then I find out you know my therapist pretty well…

- I told you. - And now…

It was years ago, but my wife would divorce me.

And now you're playing my assistant off against me because--

Because you aren't all that well.

Seriously. I'm worried about you.

- Worried? So you lie to me? - I'm not your enemy.

And you use Yuma so she can report back to you. But…

Lisa.

Call off the interview.

- What? - Call off the interview.

It's just too risky.

No. I'm terminating our contract effective immediately.

Come on, that's nonsense.

- For breach of trust. - Lisa! I'll be with you in half an hour.

No. I'll let you know if and when I want to see you again.

Oh, come on. Lisa…

Fuck.

Fuck!

MUTE

First you prepare the room.

Place your drink where you want to be sitting.

I told him.

Norbert…

Robert Lenzen. Hello.

We made such good time, we're early.

I hope you like flowers.

Not all women like cut flowers.

Breathe in, breathe out.

Twenty-two, twenty-three…

Don't move back. Don't run away.

- My colleague, Jannik Lucic. - Twenty-four, twenty-five…

He jumped at the chance to photograph you.

He won't keep us long. I'm sure it'll be quick.

Hello.

Nice to meet you.

Calm…

There was no mention of photos.

I'm sorry.

The culture desk must just have assumed.

Please come in.

Thank you for the invite.

Please hang your coats.

This way.

What a beautiful house.

Great view.

How long have you lived here?

Don't you want to answer? I don't mind waiting.

The only calls I get on my landline are from survey companies

and my health insurer.

Coffee?

Tea? Water?

Ms. Konrad, could we take the photos first?

Yes, of course.

Makes it a little prettier.

Right…

Okay.

I pictured you completely differently.

How?

Older.

Crazier. Not as pretty.

Really?

Could you try catching the light with your eyes?

Yeah, great.

- Look straight ahead. - Into the camera. Straight ahead.

- Now your hands. - Anna?

- Why were you at your sister's so late? - Look to the side.

I'm coming in!

What time were you at your sister's?

Thanks.

I'll go put the reflector in the car.

Would you like a coffee now?

- I'll let my colleague in. - I'll get it.

Lisa?

Hello?

What's that about?

I had a few galley proofs printed.

And the last bottles of Château de Vaudieu--

You can shred them right away.

Leave.

Well, I'm already here.

Wouldn't it be better if I were there too?

Isn't he much too early? I thought he was coming at four.

- And whose is the other car? - The photographer's. Now leave.

Photos too…

- Lisa, we really need to talk-- - Not now or here. Go.

- Lisa, call off the interview. - Now.

Rudow.

- What? - Hello.

Tax audit?

What do you mean, "an anonymous tip"?

Elli, calm down. I'll be there in 20 minutes.

One of yours?

Yes.

I painted for a while, years ago.

Do you like it?

It's impressive.

I hope it's okay that I had a little look around.

Where is your dog?

Excuse me?

"Lisa Konrad, born 1987,

winner of the German Literature Prize, lives with her dog near Munich."

The blurb on all your books.

Oh, the dog.

He's upstairs.

He's not good with strangers.

I'm a big dog lover.

I'm thinking about getting one for my daughter.

So your ex-wife has to look after it?

You've done your research too.

Do you have it?

No protective gestures, like crossed…

…crossed arms, crossed legs, or hidden hands.

Stay in a power pose at all times.

A minimal amount of saliva will be sufficient to compare the DNA.

Please, eat something. So it doesn't go to waste.

I'll eat later, thanks.

Yes, please.

First, I'd like to thank you for giving me this interview.

I greatly admire your work.

Really?

Because to be honest, I have been wondering

why you asked me of all people.

It was important to me to have someone outside literary circles

look at my new book.

But you've never given a one-on-one interview.

Why now?

It's at my publishers request.

They think it's time.

In that case…

Shall we?

So my colleague can get going.

As a general rule…

Clear statements.

No hesitation, no trembling.

Look your counterpart in the eye.

Observe their every reaction and analyze it.

Ms. Konrad.

How are you?

Well. I'm doing well.

You've had great success with your previous novels.

Why switch genres and write a crime novel?

I wanted something new. A challenge.

DNA can also be recovered from a cigarette filter.

I'm sorry, I'm really trying.

But culture isn't my field.

Would you have a cigarette for me?

I don't mind if you smoke.

I smoke too much.

Let me know if you'd like another.

Jannik, I think we've got enough photos.

You lead a very secluded life.

Where do you find inspiration?

I read newspapers, spend a lot of time on…

I…

I… usually research by…

For this book, I…

read a lot about the psyche of…

I…

You've been writing under this pseudonym for ten years now.

Before this, your first book as Lisa Konrad…

LIGHT AND SOUNDS

…did you publish under a different name?

And here, in the background. Is that…

A dog? A deer?

Excuse me.

Do you hear that?

Hear what?

What… What was the question?

The day after tomorrow, 2:30 p.m. at check-in?

Okay.

Thank you, Ms. Konrad. It was a pleasure meeting you.

I…

I'll walk you to the door.

Bye.

Water…

You look pale.

If you need a break, we can stop whenever you like.

No, we haven't really even started yet.

What exactly is your illness?

What do you mean?

When did you last leave your house?

Ten years ago.

What happened back then?

How does it feel to be housebound?

Not leaving the house isn't difficult.

And it becomes easier by the day.

Aren't you lonely?

I'd appreciate it

if we could focus on questions about my book, as previously agreed.

Sorry. I didn't mean to overstep.

Good.

Are you in a relationship?

Back to the book.

Your main character, Sophie…

She's a woman who breaks down after the death of her younger sister.

She feels partly responsible…

because…

Because she arrived late.

How were you able to get inside the mind of such a broken character?

Sophie isn't broken.

She's traumatized.

She almost broke down after the death of her sister.

But only almost.

I read that quite differently.

It's pretty crazy to think

that the killer would accept her telepathic invitation.

You think so?

One character I had hoped would save her was the detective.

As I was reading, I felt that between him and Sophie…

a kind of love story was developing?

Are you going to answer this time?

Excuse me for a moment.

- Norbert, I… - Christensen here.

I couldn't reach you on your cell.

You had asked me to look into the Anna Wilking case.

You said that was beyond your scope.

In any case… There haven't been any new developments since 2015.

Except that the DNA swabs that were taken are unusable.

Including those from your sister's clothes.

What?

The exhibits were destroyed after the swabs were taken.

It affected a lot of cases and was, how shall I put this,

not made public.

UNABLE TO CONNECT TO WI-FI

Because all the DNA samples taken in Bavaria between 2014 and 2016

with swab kits from a certain manufacturer were contaminated.

The swab kits were contaminated at the factory due to improper handling.

All DNA samples taken with those kits are inadmissible as evidence.

Including those in Anna Wilking's case.

That means…

There's no way to do a comparison?

I'm afraid not, Ms. Konrad.

I see.

I need to get to my appointment.

I took the opportunity while you were on the phone.

Could you bring a glass with you, please?

Thank you.

You know what?

I will answer all your questions if I'll get to ask one for each of yours.

That sounds fair.

All right.

So.

Ask away.

Start with innocuous questions to find out…

…how the other person reacts when they're relaxed.

How old are you?

- What's your guess? - I'm asking the question.

I'm 51.

My turn.

How can you describe relationships when you don't have any?

I'm a writer.

And I haven't always lived the way I do now.

Do you have siblings?

Yup.

An older brother. He lives with his family in the States.

You?

A sister three years younger than me.

Do you get along with your parents?

Yes.

Or rather, I did.

My mother died 12 years ago, and my father six months ago, at 78.

Do you miss being in a relationship?

Sometimes.

Other than the daughter you might give a dog to,

do you have other children?

No.

Would you have liked a family?

A husband? Children?

- Is this how you imagined your life? - It's not your turn.

You're so strict, Ms. Konrad.

Why did your marriage fail?

I don't know. Do you miss sex?

Not much.

Why did your marriage fail?

Because I work too much, I guess. You'd have to ask my ex-wife.

Do you get along with your parents?

Yes.

Have you ever cheated?

No.

Do you get along with your sister?

I'm fascinated by the sister dynamic in your book.

You told me earlier you have a sister,

so I thought maybe that's why you described

the sisters' relationship with such empathy.

You picked up on that.

Yes.

We get along very well.

Do you think you're a good father?

Yes.

I do.

Are you inspired by real events?

Yes.

Have you ever raped a woman?

What?

- Have you? - What question is that?

- Just say no if-- - No!

I don't like the direction this conversation has taken.

If I upset you, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

What's your biggest regret?

I don't know.

I guess the things that led to my marriage breaking down.

And you? What do you regret?

That I was too late.

That I couldn't save my sister.

Do you consider yourself a good person?

What a question. Yes.

Or maybe not…

I try hard every day.

What else…

Right.

A critic once wrote that your characters were strong,

but your plots lacked in impact.

What's the question?

I had far more problems with the characters in your book

than with the story.

The murder victim is portrayed as a stereotypical ideal.

Why did you choose such a clichéd character

over the nuanced characters you're known for?

To me, the character isn't a…

cliché.

No?

Anna, as she's called in the novel?

Don't you think Anna is an idealized version of a young woman?

Beautiful and smart,

funny, and so incredibly selfless.

I get the feeling that

beneath Anna's facade is a calculating, envious know-it-all,

constantly telling people what to do and what not to do.

In your book, you present this as helpful and positive.

But in reality, someone like that is incredibly annoying.

Assuming people like that even exist.

What's your take on that?

I know…

that such people exist.

People like your sister?

I get the sense we're talking about your sister.

Can you take a photo of us?

Sure. What's in it for me?

A kiss. From my sister.

With tongue.

Ouch!

Could it be that you're glorifying the character of Anna

to compensate for something yourself?

I see Anna as a manipulative narcissist.

It's mean to rip the heads off flowers.

If you pick them, they die too soon.

I'll never pick flowers for Mom again. Promise.

That was mean.

On the other hand,

I found the description of the murder gripping.

The chapter where Sophie finds her younger sister.

That's painful to read.

It really gets to you.

Ms. Konrad,

I hope you don't get the impression that I don't like your book.

For much of the book,

I really connected with the main character, Sophie.

Sorry.

But…

I did wonder…

why you didn't have your main character die in the end.

That would've been realistic.

And dramatic at the same time.

A crime fiction… classic.

Suicide, maybe? Out of grief? Or guilt?

Are you afraid of me?

What did you just say?

I didn't say anything.

What surprised me most was the lack of a resolution.

Although I have to say, that's an interesting literary device.

All the way through, I kept thinking

that the killer might not even exist.

And I kept thinking that in the end,

the seemingly devastated Sophie would turn out to be her sister's killer.

She was the only one with a motive.

Stand up.

Stand up!

Empty your pockets.

Turn around.

Show me your waistband.

Your bag.

Slowly.

Stop.

Slide the phone over.

Sit down.

Sit down!

Create stress by asking endless questions.

Banal, provocative questions.

Threaten. Deceive.

Provoke. Repeat. Create contradictions.

Punish every deviation. Create stress. Wear them down.

Create stress. Wear them down.

I have questions for you.

And I expect honest answers.

Do you understand?

Understood?

Yes.

How old are you?

51.

- Where did you grow up? - Munich.

- How old was your dad when he died? - 78.

Do you have siblings?

- An older brother. - Do you have children?

- You already asked all this… - Do you have children?

I have a daughter.

- Do you enjoy hurting other people? - No.

- Ever tortured an animal? - No.

Do you prefer dogs or cats?

- Dogs. - Do you think this is a game?

I know the answer to every question I've asked.

Why ask them then?

Because I want to hear the answers from you!

Answers to what?

How old is your daughter?

She's 12.

- What grade? - Seventh.

- Her favorite subject? - Math.

- Her horse's name? - Lucy.

- Are you a good dad? - Yes.

Your daughter's best friend's name?

- Annika Mehler! - It's… Annika Mehler.

- Have you ever killed anyone? - No.

- Is there anything you'd kill for? - No.

- Would you kill for your daughter? - Yes.

- But you just said you wouldn't kill-- - I know what I just said!

Of course I'd do anything to protect my child.

You don't like this situation.

No.

You can end this anytime.

How?

I want a confession.

Then tell me what to confess to.

You don't know what I'm talking about?

- I have no idea. - I find that hard to believe…

Stand up.

Stand up!

Turn away.

Start walking.

Out!

Go right.

Left.

Clean yourself up.

May I?

Let me go.

Why did you ask about my dog?

Why did you ask about my dog?

No reason. Just making small talk.

Why did you ask about my dog?

Every blurb on your books says you have a dog.

It's perfectly normal to ask.

Do you have children?

Please…

Do you have children?

Please leave my daughter out of this.

What do you want?

You know what I want.

- A confession. - Yes, a confession.

- But I don't know-- - I'll help you!

Where did you live ten years ago?

- Ten years ago? - Ten years ago.

In Munich. It…

It was my last year in Munich.

Where did you meet Anna Wilking?

Who is that?

Where were you on July 5, 2015?

- How am I supposed to know that? - Think.

- I don't know. - Why did you kill my sister?

I didn't--

If you confess,

I promise that I'll let you go.

I have nothing to confess.

You're not thinking clearly.

You have two options.

Option one.

You tell me the truth, and I let you go.

Option two.

I shoot you.

Subtitle translation by: Susanne Creak, Diana Renker