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7:15 PM
Navigating Political Journalism and High-Stakes Interviews
Talk|A conversation with Sandra Maischberger - Moderated by Uli Gaulke
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Room T3, Meng Wah Complex, The University of Hong Kong
- Language English
- Price Free admission, registration required
Click here to register for the talk
Sandra Maischberger is one of Germany’s most renowned political journalists and talk show hosts, celebrated for her sharp and insightful interviews. Over her nearly four-decade-long career, she has engaged with major figures such as -current and former- German Chancellors Olaf Scholz, Angela Merkel, Gerhard Schröder and Helmut Schmidt, former Minister of Finance Yanis Varoufakis of Greece, and the Microsoft founder Bill Gates.
Most recently, Maischberger produced the acclaimed documentary RIEFENSTAHL in collaboration with director Andres Veiel. For the film, they delved into the extensive estate of Leni Riefenstahl, exploring private films, photographs, and personal documents to uncover new perspectives on one of the most contentious figures of the 20th century.
Andres Veiel reflects on the process:
“I have been working on the Riefenstahl estate for more than two years. When I began my research, I focused on unknown documents such as diaries, notes, private photos and films. They immediately aroused my curiosity and provided new insights beyond the familiar narratives. And yet there was always a sense of mistrust: Did she purposefully leave behind certain materials? Did she expect someone to make a film from the documents in her estate? Am I blocking an unbiased view with my scepticism? But how can I openly approach a protagonist who has entrenched herself behind a thicket of legends, half-truths and lies all her life?”
In this special talk, Sandra Maischberger will draw on her extensive experience and offer an insider’s perspective on the art of high-profile journalism. She will discuss the complexities of approaching figures like Leni Riefenstahl, who have cultivated well-defined, self-crafted personas, for documentary filmmaking as well as preparing and conducting high-stakes interviews with prominent personalities. From building trust with interviewees to crafting impactful questions, Maischberger will provide invaluable insights into the art of impactful journalism.
About Sandra Maischberger
Sandra Maischberger, born on August 25, 1966, in Munich, Germany, is a renowned journalist, television presenter, producer, and author. She trained as a journalist at the Deutsche Journalistenschule in Munich. Maischberger began her career in radio and later transitioned to television, where she gained recognition for hosting various talk shows, including Talk im Turm and Menschen bei Maischberger. Since 2003, she has been the face of the ARD talk showMaischberger, where she interviews prominent figures from politics, culture, and society. In addition to her work as a presenter, Maischberger is a co-founder of Vincent Productions GmbH, a production company. Vincent Productions GmbH is the production company for the documentary RIEFENSTAHL. She has received numerous awards for her contributions to journalism and television, including the German Television Award and the Bavarian Television Award.
About the film RIEFENSTAHL
As a director, Leni Riefenstahl created iconic imagery. Her ideological proximity to the Nazi regime is something she consistently tried to deny after World War II. Leni Riefenstahl allowed only one portrayal of her biography: her own. However, the legacy of one of the most controversial women of the 20th century reveals a different story.
Leni Riefenstahl is considered one of the most disputed figures of the 20th century. Her iconic visual worlds in Triumph of the Will and Olympia represent perfectly orchestrated celebration of physicality, superiority, and victory. At the same time, they also embody what these images fail to reveal: the disdain for imperfection, for those deemed ill and weak, and the notion of superiority of some over others. The aesthetics of her imagery remain as present as ever – but does the message endure as well?
This film explores this question through the documents left behind by Riefenstahl – private films and photographs, recorded phone calls with close companions, and personal letters. It unfolds fragments of her biography, piece by piece, adding layers of context from both historical and contemporary perspectives.
The film RIEFENSTAHL will screen at the 49th Hong Kong International Film Festival on April 17th at 14:45 and April 19th at 12:30. For more information, visit the HKIFF website: https://www.hkiff.org.hk/.
“Navigating Political Journalism and High-Stakes Interviews – A conversation with Sandra Maischberger” is a joint event of the Goethe-Institut Hong Kong and The University of Hong Kong - Journalism and Media Studies Centre (JMSC), supported by the Hong Kong International Film Festival.
Sandra Maischberger is one of Germany’s most renowned political journalists and talk show hosts, celebrated for her sharp and insightful interviews. Over her nearly four-decade-long career, she has engaged with major figures such as -current and former- German Chancellors Olaf Scholz, Angela Merkel, Gerhard Schröder and Helmut Schmidt, former Minister of Finance Yanis Varoufakis of Greece, and the Microsoft founder Bill Gates.
Most recently, Maischberger produced the acclaimed documentary RIEFENSTAHL in collaboration with director Andres Veiel. For the film, they delved into the extensive estate of Leni Riefenstahl, exploring private films, photographs, and personal documents to uncover new perspectives on one of the most contentious figures of the 20th century.
Andres Veiel reflects on the process:
“I have been working on the Riefenstahl estate for more than two years. When I began my research, I focused on unknown documents such as diaries, notes, private photos and films. They immediately aroused my curiosity and provided new insights beyond the familiar narratives. And yet there was always a sense of mistrust: Did she purposefully leave behind certain materials? Did she expect someone to make a film from the documents in her estate? Am I blocking an unbiased view with my scepticism? But how can I openly approach a protagonist who has entrenched herself behind a thicket of legends, half-truths and lies all her life?”
In this special talk, Sandra Maischberger will draw on her extensive experience and offer an insider’s perspective on the art of high-profile journalism. She will discuss the complexities of approaching figures like Leni Riefenstahl, who have cultivated well-defined, self-crafted personas, for documentary filmmaking as well as preparing and conducting high-stakes interviews with prominent personalities. From building trust with interviewees to crafting impactful questions, Maischberger will provide invaluable insights into the art of impactful journalism.
About Sandra Maischberger
Sandra Maischberger, born on August 25, 1966, in Munich, Germany, is a renowned journalist, television presenter, producer, and author. She trained as a journalist at the Deutsche Journalistenschule in Munich. Maischberger began her career in radio and later transitioned to television, where she gained recognition for hosting various talk shows, including Talk im Turm and Menschen bei Maischberger. Since 2003, she has been the face of the ARD talk showMaischberger, where she interviews prominent figures from politics, culture, and society. In addition to her work as a presenter, Maischberger is a co-founder of Vincent Productions GmbH, a production company. Vincent Productions GmbH is the production company for the documentary RIEFENSTAHL. She has received numerous awards for her contributions to journalism and television, including the German Television Award and the Bavarian Television Award.
About the film RIEFENSTAHL
As a director, Leni Riefenstahl created iconic imagery. Her ideological proximity to the Nazi regime is something she consistently tried to deny after World War II. Leni Riefenstahl allowed only one portrayal of her biography: her own. However, the legacy of one of the most controversial women of the 20th century reveals a different story.
Leni Riefenstahl is considered one of the most disputed figures of the 20th century. Her iconic visual worlds in Triumph of the Will and Olympia represent perfectly orchestrated celebration of physicality, superiority, and victory. At the same time, they also embody what these images fail to reveal: the disdain for imperfection, for those deemed ill and weak, and the notion of superiority of some over others. The aesthetics of her imagery remain as present as ever – but does the message endure as well?
This film explores this question through the documents left behind by Riefenstahl – private films and photographs, recorded phone calls with close companions, and personal letters. It unfolds fragments of her biography, piece by piece, adding layers of context from both historical and contemporary perspectives.
The film RIEFENSTAHL will screen at the 49th Hong Kong International Film Festival on April 17th at 14:45 and April 19th at 12:30. For more information, visit the HKIFF website: https://www.hkiff.org.hk/.
“Navigating Political Journalism and High-Stakes Interviews – A conversation with Sandra Maischberger” is a joint event of the Goethe-Institut Hong Kong and The University of Hong Kong - Journalism and Media Studies Centre (JMSC), supported by the Hong Kong International Film Festival.
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Location
Room T3, Meng Wah Complex, The University of Hong Kong
Hongkong (SAR)
Hongkong (SAR)