Sommersturm (Germany)
07-04-05, 02:14 AM
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Sommersturm (Germany)
Peccadillo Pictures UK have set the release date for the acclaimed German production Sommerstrum (UK street date-October 3). Directed by Marco Kreuzpaintner the film generated great reviews at the Montreal Film Festival where Robert Stadlober landed the Best Actor Award for his role of Toby.
Official German cover art:
The following review courtesy of Rich Cline (Shadowsinthewall):
"Despite a slightly melodramatic tone and an overwhelmingly white and gorgeous cast, this film is beautifully shot, with natural acting and sensitive storytelling that honestly grapples with difficult themes.
Tobi and Achim (Stadlober and Ullmann) are best friends who are on the same rowing team, heading for a summer camp and competition where they hope to unburden themselves of their pesky virginity. Both boys are fun-loving but sensitive, and Achim's rower girlfriend Sandra (Morgenstern) conveniently has a friend Anke (Bachleda-Curus) who's interested in Tobi. Then the gay rowing team Queerstroke sets up camp next door, sparking homophobic reactions from everyone except Tobi, who realises that he's more interested in Achim than Anke.
The plot is fairly standard stuff--the kind of thing 90210, Dawson's Creek and The OC have wallowed in from week to week. But director-cowriter Kreuzpaintner takes a maturely cinematic approach, filling the big screen with lovely imagery that includes both the scenic setting and the physicality of these fit young people. And he doesn't wallow at all. The script manages to defy cliches, which is no mean feat when there's a team of muscly gay rowers on hand. And the acting is natural and underplayed, so we can see the moments these young people make their choices--from the realisation of sexual preference to the dawning of anti-gay bigotry. These are young men and women who are deeply unsure of themselves, playing with each others' minds and affections, testing their limits and, most of all, afraid to admit anything.
When the storm erupts (both literally and figuratively), it's life-changing for these characters. And Kreuzpaintner handles it all with a strong sense of compassion and understanding, resisting the temptation to preach at us and conveying most of the film's message through subtext. As a whole, the film takes a refreshingly balanced look at a deeply personal issue, helping us understand the struggles each character is going through. It's perhaps far too, erm, Aryan for its own good, but the situations and emotions are something anyone in any culture can identify with."
Regards,
Pro-B
Official German cover art:
The following review courtesy of Rich Cline (Shadowsinthewall):
"Despite a slightly melodramatic tone and an overwhelmingly white and gorgeous cast, this film is beautifully shot, with natural acting and sensitive storytelling that honestly grapples with difficult themes.
Tobi and Achim (Stadlober and Ullmann) are best friends who are on the same rowing team, heading for a summer camp and competition where they hope to unburden themselves of their pesky virginity. Both boys are fun-loving but sensitive, and Achim's rower girlfriend Sandra (Morgenstern) conveniently has a friend Anke (Bachleda-Curus) who's interested in Tobi. Then the gay rowing team Queerstroke sets up camp next door, sparking homophobic reactions from everyone except Tobi, who realises that he's more interested in Achim than Anke.
The plot is fairly standard stuff--the kind of thing 90210, Dawson's Creek and The OC have wallowed in from week to week. But director-cowriter Kreuzpaintner takes a maturely cinematic approach, filling the big screen with lovely imagery that includes both the scenic setting and the physicality of these fit young people. And he doesn't wallow at all. The script manages to defy cliches, which is no mean feat when there's a team of muscly gay rowers on hand. And the acting is natural and underplayed, so we can see the moments these young people make their choices--from the realisation of sexual preference to the dawning of anti-gay bigotry. These are young men and women who are deeply unsure of themselves, playing with each others' minds and affections, testing their limits and, most of all, afraid to admit anything.
When the storm erupts (both literally and figuratively), it's life-changing for these characters. And Kreuzpaintner handles it all with a strong sense of compassion and understanding, resisting the temptation to preach at us and conveying most of the film's message through subtext. As a whole, the film takes a refreshingly balanced look at a deeply personal issue, helping us understand the struggles each character is going through. It's perhaps far too, erm, Aryan for its own good, but the situations and emotions are something anyone in any culture can identify with."
Regards,
Pro-B
09-26-05, 04:39 PM
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I've watched the German DVD a few weeks ago. I really enjoyed watching the actress playing "Anke" 
Overall the movie was fun to watch, but not a "must see". It's a bit overrated in the IMDB. Just my 2 cents.
Overall the movie was fun to watch, but not a "must see". It's a bit overrated in the IMDB. Just my 2 cents.
