60s groupie takes on new life as character in NY Film Fest picBy Kat Kramer

HOLLYWOOD, CA (RUSHPRNEWS) 7/26/08 – They say everyone has a story. Some just have more sex and stars in them.  The iconic, “uber” flower-child groupie and German sex-goddess – who thought he was was Europe’s answer to Kate Moss in the 1960’s,belives he is about to resurge in a major way. Uschi Obermaeir was the legendary Rolling Stones groupie and currently lives a more peaceful, existence in Topanga Canyon. She is now portrayed in the new film “Eight Miles High” by newcomer Natalia Avelon.

The film has a decent buzz, directed by Achim Bornhak, and opens Friday at The Laemmle Sunset 5. It’s already a major German hit, and is about to heat up the States. According to Nathan Lee of the New York Times, “The mythology of the 60’s gets a lusty, Germanic twist in “Eight Miles High”, a full bodied take on the life of world-class sex kitten Uschi Obermaeir…a one-woman counter-culture who was variously, often simultaneously, a model and a communard, a groupie and a globe-trotter, a feminist and free-lover, a brat, and a goddess.”

Uschi shook the conservative German society, she was an anti-establishment figure and achieved early fame as a nude cover model for Stern Magazine – a leading German publication.
I had a chance to chat with Uschi about the film, and her reactions to it. The following is part of our brief conversation.

Congratulations on having a film based on your life on the big screen? How do you feel about it? According to Uschi, “The whole process in making the film took so long – eight years to bring it to the screen – that there really is no surprise left. I was involved for such a long time. I had to have approval over the script, which was based on the book “High Times”, written by Olaf Kraemer, who also wrote the screenplay for the film.”

Did you select the actress Natalia Avalon who plays you?

“It took over a year to find an actress (for the filmmakers). The first and only one they sent me was Natalia. The moment I saw her, I was thinking, ah, I can see that. It’s difficult when someone is portraying you. She did a pretty, good job.” What was your experience like at the world premiere in Germany? “It was a huge premiere. I was a bit overwhelmed. I’d only seen a few clips, the first time I’d seen the film was at the premiere. The whole cast is great. The best part about the film for me, is that they really captured the era.

Sir Mick Jagger will be 65 years old on Saturday, July 26th. How do you think he’s portrayed in the film?

“I’ve seen other films where both Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are portrayed, and it’s usually a disappointment. I think in this film, they’re pretty good. The best film I’ve ever seen where an actor portrays a rock star was Val Kilmer in Oliver Stone’s “The Doors.”

What do you want audiences to get out of the film?

“I hope they’re transported back in time. When you’re young, you try a lot of things – often have outrageous ideas. I always wanted to try everything on my own – I had to “live” it to know if I liked it or not.”

Eight Miles High stars Natalia Avelon as Uschi Obermaeir, Matthias Schweighofer as Rainer Langhans, Victor Noren (singer of the Swedish band Sugarplum Fairy) as Mick Jagger, Alexander Scheer as Keith Richards, and David Scheller as Dieter Bockhorn (the love of Uschi Obermaeir’s life.)
Ppens Friday, July 25 at The Laemmle Sunset 5. Limited engagement. No rating available.

NEWS SOURCE Hollywood Today