At the gay film night organised by our partner Edition Salzgeber there is a gay film of the finest quality in numerous cities every month. In April, a love story is on the programme: "Stadt Land Fluss" is set in the middle of real life - but is not too true to be beautiful
Marko is an apprentice at a large agricultural business in Nuthe-Urstromtal, 60 kilometres from Berlin. He is an eccentric, doesn't drink alcohol and is a stranger to the other apprentices. He rejects invitations from girls as well as the help of his training supervisor, who appreciates the hard-working young man and wants to encourage him.
Only when Jakob, a former bank apprentice, starts as an intern does Marko thaw out a little and the two boys cautiously discover that they may have more in common than just a friendship. During a spontaneous trip to Berlin, they become very close and the film's happy ending consists of a single gesture that leaves plenty of room for interpretation.
Director and author Benjamin Cantus has used the simplest of cinematic means to create a wonderful love story in which the landscape and outdoor work play a leading role. Brokeback Brandenburg.
In August 2010, Cantus simply had the two main actors in his feature film debut work on a real farm, filmed in parallel and with a lot of courage to improvise, and used the real farm workers as extras and supporting actors in his story.
The camera captures the vastness of Brandenburg in documentary-like images and the action is also depicted so directly that you feel as if you are there in real life. In this shimmering authenticity, Lukas Steltner as Marko and Kai-Michael Müller as Jacob can move freely without losing their characters. The two actors afford themselves the luxury of endowing their roles with moments of silence and explaining themselves primarily through what they say. not say.
The result is perhaps the most beautiful gay German film of recent years. Cantus was deservedly celebrated for "Stadt Land Fluss" at this year's Berlinale and we wish him and his film many, many viewers.
(pasch)
"Stadt Land Fluss" (Germany 2010) will be shown on 13, 15 and 18 March during the Gay Film Night in many cinemas throughout Germany. Exact dates and further information: http://gay-filmnacht.de
