We introduce different diffuse approximations of the Willmore energy and the corresponding gradient flows. In the case of well separated interfaces all these flows (formally) converge to the Willmore flow. However, if interfaces collide the different approximations show very different behavior. This will be discussed in view of the Gamma convergence of the corresponding diffuse energies and the existence of so-called saddle solutions of the Allen-Cahn equation. This presentation is based on joint work with S. Esedoglu (Michigan) and A. Rätz (Dortmund).