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Actor Sebastian Bezzel as policeman Franz Eberhofer in »Rehragout-Rendezvous«

Photograph:

Bernd Schuller / Constantin

After Rita Falk's harsh criticism of the film adaptation of her new book »Rehragout-Rendezvous«, the production company Constantin Film emphasizes the actually good cooperation. In the SPIEGEL interview, Falk had distanced himself from the film adaptation with drastic words. "I find the script unbelievably flat, trashy, even ordinary in places," she said. Now the Constantin boss is speaking out.

Falk and her work are very much appreciated, Martin Moszkowicz told the dpa news agency. She is an extraordinary author with a fine sense for unusual stories, bizarre criminal cases and lovingly drawn characters. And Falk's criticism of the film adaptation? The current reporting on this is "regrettable", as they have been working together "respectfully and trustingly for over ten years". But: As a production company, Constantin must "respect and coordinate the interests of all artists involved in a film adaptation," he said. The whole team around the film adaptations always works on the films with a great deal of passion and sensitivity for the underlying book templates, as well as on ›Rehragout-Rendezvous‹ as a matter of course.«

»Rehragout-Rendezvous« is the eleventh part of Falk's successful regional crime series about Inspector Eberhofer – and the ninth film adaptation. It came to the cinema on Thursday. Falk had said in SPIEGEL, among other things: "I want the people out there to know that it's not right for the credits of this film to say 'Based on the novel by Rita Falk'." She was sad about the film adaptation and therefore shed many tears. That's why she wasn't at the film premiere in Munich. Her objections regarding the script were apparently ignored by Constantin.

On the other hand, she expressed her gratitude for the previous collaboration with Constantin Film. "I really like all the predecessors of the Eberhofer films, appreciate the cooperation with Constantin Film very much and think the entire cast is perfect," said Falk. What a collaboration with Constantin could look like in the future, Falk had left open in the SPIEGEL interview. There is still no contract for her latest book, »Steckerlfischfiasko«, but Constantin has an option for two older, unfilmed books. At the moment, all I can say is that I'm very skeptical about further film adaptations.«

evh/dpa