'Murderer's House' - University of Victoria

was a wonderful image, like the May beetle. There were things that happened like that
while we were shooting.
R.R.: So it was serendipitous, it was lucky, that you had these beautiful images.
H.S.-B.: Yes.
R.R.: Okay. Next question. Lene is raped by American soldiers in the film. She reacts
by telling her daughter, “Das ist das Recht des Siegers, kleines Mädchen. Man nimmt die
Sachen und die Frauen” [(“That‟s the right of the victor, little girl. One takes possessions
and women“) (Sanders-Brahms, Film-Erzählung 96)]. Some critics were shocked by
Lene‟s calm and stoic reaction. Why did you choose to have Lene respond in this way?
Did you use the response as a Brechtian Verfremdungseffekt [alienation effect]?
H.S.-B.: No. I think when you are alone and with a child and there are two soldiers with
weapons who are victorious, you can do nothing against them. You will have a sense in
your mind not to fight against them, because they can shoot your child. I mean, it‟s
rather senseless of the critics to think that a woman in that situation should behave by
fighting…no.
R.R.: And the way that she explains the rape to Anna?
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