SUMMER STORM (SOMMERSTURM)
Germany, 2004, 90 minutes, Colour.
Robert Stadlober, Kostja Ullmann.
Directed by Marco Kreuzpaintner.
Summer Storm, according to the director, Marco Kreuzpaintner, is substantially autobiographical. This is a film of a 26 year old director coming to terms with his sexual orientation. He is also trying to overcome homophobic attitudes in his audience by presenting his themes in the context of ordinary life rather than in a hot-house. Not that his main character, Tobi (Robert Stadlober) does not feel that he is in a hot-house situation, infatuated with his best friend, in denial of his orientation, pushed together with a girl who likes him and trying to keep up a pose of disdain against homosexuals. This is compounded when he goes on a rowing training camp (he is the team leader) and finds that a team of gay oarsmen, The Queerstrokes, are to be their main opposition in the competition race.
While the film traces other characters in the group, especially Tobi’s best friend and object of his affection without realising it, the audience is invited to share Tobi’s intensity of feeling, his emotional curiosity with the new group, his sexual encounter, his being urged by his girlfriend to be honest with himself and others and his finally coming out.
The director has opted for a gentle, sometimes romanticised approach to his plot and characters which runs the danger of being sentimental and sometimes overwrought. However, he does bring out into the open the trials and traumas of rites of passage that some young men have to undergo.
1. A film about rites of passage? German youth? Boys and girls? Sexuality?
2. The summer setting, Bavaria, the towns, the schools, the ordinary locations for the rowing teams? Going to the camp, the lake? The woods, the tents? The storm and the special effects? The youth hostel? The lake and the rowing practice and competitions? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score?
3. The title, the visual storm and its effect? The storm emotionally for the central characters, especially for Tobi?
4. Issues of teenagers, contemporary sexuality, love, infatuations? The sexual encounters? Attitudes towards sexual behaviour, relationships, masturbation? The issue of homosexuality, behaviour, orientation? The film presenting issues of homosexuality to the wide audience for understanding, sympathy?
5. The opening credits, the two boys exercising, the focus on their limbs? Their running? The background of rowing? Tobi and Achim together? The horseplay, the sexual overtones? Their work together, throwing water, horsing around, the sexual consequences? The imagination?
6. The audience understanding Tobi’s orientation, his infatuation, behaviour, reticence and denial? Approaches to Achim? Achim being oblivious, talking about homosexuals?
7. The preparation for the rowing camp, the team, Tobi’s place? The girls’ team and their going? The presentation of Anke and Sandra? Their relationships with Tobi and Achim? The coach, his son, the awkward man with the materials? Getting on the bus, the farewells, going to the camp?
8. At the camp, Tobi and his surly attitude towards Anke when she wanted to change the campsite? Achim’s surprise? The arrival of the other team, the coach, the coach of the other team? The Berlin women not coming – despite the anticipation? The new team, the Queerstrokes?
9. The boys and their reaction to the Queerstrokes, the homophobic attitudes? The Queerstrokes and their emphasising their camp behaviour to tantalise the teams? The introductions, the homophobic comments?
10. Schorsi as homophobic, the decision to tantalise him, Malte and his approach? Schorsi, the talk about his being recommended to the national coach? The walk, the kiss, his anger, going into the woods, and their having to come to find him? The irony of his father putting him in with the Queerstrokes team – and their winning? His having to change his attitude?
11. Tobi, fascination with the Queerstrokes, listening in to their talk, watching their cooking etc? His swimming with Achim, the approach to Achim, wanting to kiss him – and Achim running away? The others observing it, inviting him to stay, his swimming with them? Staying, the sunburn, Leo and the massage? The approach, the encounter? The effect on Tobi? His relationship with Achim, feeling that Sandra was coming in between them, his telling the lie about his relationship with Anke? This coming back to him, his finally telling the truth to Anke? His not wanting to admit the truth, the search for Schorsi, the fight between the teams, having to go to the youth hostel, Achim turning him away? His coming to breakfast, after staying the night with Leo? His explanation of himself and asking people to accept it?
12. Anke, infatuated with Tobi, his talk about her, her being hurt, the approach in the woods, his resistance and refusal? Her blaming herself? His finally telling her? Sandra, the relationship with Achim, the talk about her physical growth, her being hurt, the relationship with Achim fulfilled?
13. The Queerstrokes, as a group, the camp behaviour and talk, Malte and his muscle-building, Leo and his attraction towards Tobi, the encounter, the discussions? Their coach?
14. The fight, going to the hostel? Burying the differences?
15. The competition, the practices? The race, Leo unable to participate, Schorsi being transferred, the race and the Queerstrokes winning? The home team coming second?
16. The final images, the focus and fade-outs on each of the characters, what had transpired during the summer camp, the storm, the change of attitudes?
