Neele Leana Vollmar

Born 1978, Bremen (Germany). From 2000 to 2005 she studied at the Baden-Württemberg Film Academy in Ludwigsburg. In 2003 she participated in the Berlinale Talent Campus. During her studies, she made the short films WATTENMEER (1999), ZU ZWEIT (1999), EINE REISE (2000), SANS UNE PAROLE (2001), WEISS (2001), TOTE FISCHE SCHWIMMEN OBEN (2002), MY PARENTS (MEINE ELTERN, 2003). In 2005 she directed her first feature film, which was the graduation work at the Film Academy, VACATION FROM LIFE (URLAUB VOM LEBEN, 2004). Later she directed the feature films PEACEFUL TIMES (FRIEDLICHE ZEITEN, 2008) and WEDDING FEVER IN CAMPOBELLO (MARIA, IHM SCHMECKT'S NICHT!, 2009).

Director’s statement

“THE PASTA DETECTIVES is a story about the friendship of two extraordinary friends. One day the child proddity Rico meets the child prodigy Oskar. The latter just loves statistics. And he knows just everything about the horrible things that happen in the world he is running around in. For security reasons he is therefore wearing a helmet all day long”.
“The two couldn’t be any more different. But what they have in common is their feeling of being different. They are lonely boys who have learnt to deal with their situation. They are not looking to adapt or being accepted. Rico and Oskar are two self-confident and humorous kids who stand out because they are heart-warming and affectionate. They are drawn to each other by their special perception. Because of being different they build a strong team. Rico’s emotional intelligence and his deep rooted trustfulness complement Oskar’s intellect and analytical expertise. Hence they compensate each other’s weak points. The children in the audience should be able to identify with our two heroes. We don’t want to show nerds but two clever and extraordinary boys who impress us by their self-confidence and coolness”.
“They impress with their wit when explaining the world to each other. And due to their naïve perspective the analysis of their environment gains in depth. Their almost philosophical point of view strikes a chord with the audience immediately”.
“The danger that Mister 2000 poses to the children is the central theme of the story. Right when Rico found a friend, Oskar, the latter has disappeared again and soon Rico finds out why: Oskar is the kidnapper’s new victim. Hence Rico starts to search for him. This adds a level of suspense to the humorous production. The children in the audience worry along with Rico and Oskar and follow their paths with curiosity. They immerse in Rico’s world with its centre, the staircase of the Dieffe 93. This house is Rico’s home, he knows every single step and every single tile. And he knows the house’s inhabitants with their peculiarities and individual personalities and of course their apartments. The Dieffe 93 almost is a magical place. This is where Rico spends most of his time while his mother Tanja is still sleeping. I want to find pictures which express his emotional world. The aim is to show a ‘normal’ staircase as something special and magical - just like Rico sees it”.