The theatrical release of “The Hunger Games – The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” has been eagerly awaited for months – now it’s almost upon us. The prequel to the successful hit is about the origins of the Hunger Games and the life of Coriolanus Snow, who, almost 64 years later, becomes the most feared man in the country as President of Panem.
But it’s not just the storyline that makes “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” a highlight for German Panem fans: a lot of scenes for the prequel were filmed in Germany, including Potsdam, Leipzig, Cologne, Hattingen, Duisburg and, above all, Berlin . At the press conference before the film’s European premiere, director Francis Lawrence, who was responsible for the previous “Panem” parts, emphasized: “Berlin is a fantastic city. We got the locations we needed here.”
Uli Hanisch was responsible for the selection of the German sets, who tried to orientate himself on Berlin in the 50s and 60s when selecting the backdrop for the science fiction hit. In the capital in particular, there were ideal conditions for the historical aspect of the film, “because we find the Empire, the ‘Third Reich’ and the GDR/East Berlin in the buildings,” says Hanisch. The production managed almost without purely virtual landscapes.
And so some viewers may recognize one or two locations in the prequel. Relevant scenes are said to have been filmed on the Museum Island and in front of the Stalin buildings at Strausberger Platz in Berlin Friedrichshain, with the backdrop in the film supposed to function as a megapolis of the future.
The appearance of the Olympic Stadium is also used in “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”, with the arena said to have been digitally raised by three floors and placed in front of a fictional skyline.
The anatomical theater of the Charité, the Altes Museum and the Treptow crematorium also served as a film backdrop.
In Leipzig, the film was shot at the Battle of the Nations Memorial, among other places.
The now fifth Hunger Games film takes place during the tenth Hunger Games. Lucy Gray Baird, a girl from the 12th District, is appointed as a tribute to take part in the murderous games. The aspiring Coriolanus Snow is appointed her mentor and – despite initial difficulties – falls in love with Lucy. Mentors prepare their assigned tributes for survival in the arena and develop strategies to ensure their longevity in the Hunger Games.
Ultimately, they themselves benefit from the perseverance of their protégés in the fight for survival – they receive money and rise further socially with the victory of their tribute. And Coriolanus is also primarily after the prize money in order to be able to finance his studies. In the end, the question arises as to how strong the love is between the two fundamentally different people – and whether it can defy Coriolanus’s intrinsic desire.
The film stars Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird and Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow. Viola Davis takes on the role of the brutal game maker as Dr. Volumnia Gaul, which will take the deadly competitions invented by Casca Highbottom (Peter Dinklage) in a new direction. Also appearing: “Euphoria” star Hunter Schafer as stylist Tigris Snow and Jason Schwartzman as host Lucretius Flickerman, who guides viewers through the Hunger Games and was seen in the first four films.
The international nature of the film project also means that, in addition to Zegler, Blyth and Dinklage, several German actors are taking part in the production, including Irene Böhm (“Babylon Berlin”), Dimitri Abold (“Beckenrand Sheriff”), Luna Kruse (“Schloss Einstein”) and Kjell Brutscheidt (“Polizeiruf 110”).
“The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” will be released in German cinemas on November 16, 2023.
also read
