The Dutch coming-out film "Jongens" tells the story of a first love in beautiful images.
Whoever talks about this film will not fail to mention this scene. And yet it is anything but spectacular. Two boys are frolicking in a lake and doing all the nonsense you do on a hot sunny day when you're swimming. Until they hang exhausted on a log lying in the water, slowly catch their breath and look each other in the eye.
For a moment, there is only the sound of water and then Marc (Ko Zandvliet) leans towards his counterpart with a smile - and kisses Sieger. And Sieger (Gijs Blom), who is just a little younger at 16, is neither startled nor irritated, but returns the kiss without hesitation.
For the viewer, this wildly romantic scene, which the camera captured hovering above the boys' heads, is not really surprising. The looks that the two teenagers repeatedly exchanged with each other while training their relay team together could hardly be misinterpreted. On the contrary, you could see how their mutual interest in each other grew, as did the erotic tension.
A summer film with sun-bright and sometimes almost too beautiful images.
Of course, there is no shortage of coming-out films and Dutch director Mischa Kamp is not able to tell any surprisingly new aspects. What sets her love story apart from many others, however, is the lightness with which this little miracle of first love, the insecurities and fears, the excitement and the happiness that outshines everything else is told. "Jongens" (Boys) is a summer film with sunlit and sometimes almost too beautiful images.
A quietly and calmly developing romantic drama with the athletic, extremely likeable leading actors Ko Zandvliet and Gijs Blom, whose every emotion is blindly believed and who suddenly take you back to the emotional confusion of your own coming-out.
Of course, Sieger's discovery of love is not entirely unproblematic either. In the scene immediately after the all-altering kiss, he feels compelled to clarify: "I'm not gay". "Of course not," Marc replies. He, who is far more sure of his feelings, knows that Sieger still needs some time. However, seeing him arm in arm with a girl at the fairground does hurt him. But even for Sieger, this casual gesture, which was previously so natural, suddenly feels wrong. And yet he will have to hurt Marc much more deeply before he has not only fought the decisive competition in the sports stadium, but also his inner battle.
"Jongens" NL 2014, directed by Mischa Kamp. With Gijs Blom, Ko Zandvliet, Jonas Smulders, Ton Kas. 78 min., OmU.
To the trailer
