Summer Storm (2004)
"Sommersturm" (original title)

Tobi and Achim, the pride of the local crew club, have been the best of friends for years and are convinced that nothing will ever stand in the way of their friendship. They look forward to... See full summary »

Director:

Marco Kreuzpaintner

Writers:

Thomas Bahmann (screenplay), Marco Kreuzpaintner (screenplay)

Stars:

Robert Stadlober, Kostja Ullmann, Jürgen Tonkel

4 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Stadlober	...	Tobi
Kostja Ullmann	...	Achim
Jürgen Tonkel	...	Hansi
Miriam Morgenstern	...	Sandra
Alicja Bachleda	...	Anke (as Alicja Bachleda-Curus)
Angelika Brennfleck	...	Thea
Josefine Müller	...	Claudia
Joseph M'Barek	...	Ferdinand
Tristano Casanova	...	Georg
Roman Storm	...	Günther
Jeff Fischer	...	Flasche
Johannes Franke	...	Martin
Anton Rattinger	...	Gruber
Gerhard Oberwetter	...	Busfahrer
Tobias van Dieken	...	Naturschützer (as Tobias Vandieken)

Storyline

Tobi and Achim, the pride of the local crew club, have been the best of friends for years and are convinced that nothing will ever stand in the way of their friendship. They look forward to the upcoming summer camp and the crew competition. Achim's girlfriend Sandra is on the girl's team and he enjoys spending more time with her. Tobi becomes increasingly skeptical of their relationship. Anke, the pretty girl who has fallen for Tobi, doesn't make things any easier. Then the gay team from Berlin arrives and Tobi is totally confused. The evening before the races begin, the storm that breaks out is more than meteorlogical... A sensitive story about the complexities of growing up.

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Plot Keywords:

friend | summer camp | rowing | gay | storm | 

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Taglines:

life happens without warning

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality, language and drug content

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [de] Regent Releasing/here! Films [us]

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

2 September 2004 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Summer Storm

Filming Locations:

Bevertalsperre, North Rhine - Westphalia, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

€2,700,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$4,158 (USA) (17 March 2006)

Gross:

$95,016 (USA) (14 September 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Claussen & Wöbke Filmproduktion GmbH, ProSieben Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

[first lines]
Tobi: She said, I don't mind!
Achim: Those very words. Now chill, I have to keep at 140.

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Connections

References Sesame Street (1969)

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Soundtracks

"Willkommen"
Performed by Rosenstolz

User Reviews

At Last! A Real "Camp" Movie Comes Out...And So Does Its Hero.

First of all, it's incredible that a movie about a summer camp would come out that has a group of teenagers acting like REAL teens, not the idiots you see either in gross-out summer comedies based solely on bathroom and bodily-fluid humor, or with a dozen or more skeevy slackers getting high, getting laid and then getting hacked to bits by some guy in a mask bought from Chammps Sporting Goods.

Viewed at the same Gay Pride Film Festival here in D.C., it was a good opportunity to compare this--a little more serious coming-of-age drama, to the light and fluffy French sex romp "Cote d'Azure." Too bad something like SUMMER STORM isn't made more often here in the States.

It's summer time, and Tobi (the engaging Robert Stadlober) is in a seething state of sexual confusion. He wants to have sex with a girl, but his strongest feelings are reserved for his best bud Achim, (Kostja Ullmann), who in turn is having a hot-and-heavy romance with girlfriend Sandra (Miriam Morgenstern). Meantime, carrying the torch for Tobi is the heartbreakingly beautiful Anke (Alicja Batchleda-Curus), who has absolutely no idea where her intended's head is at. At least, not at first.

The four teens are all on rowing teams, and their coach takes them all to camp, to bond and train for the seasonal rowing trials. Among the rival teams is an all-gay team, the "Queerstrokers," who will soon prove instrumental in the awakening of Tobi, helping him realize who he is and eventually to reconcile the lopsided love triangle he is involved in, which can only produce consequences destined to bring about an unhappy ending.

Not to make the film sound too serious, but it deals with the themes of sexual confusion, exploration and discovery in a natural and non-judgmental way that is so lacking in most American features of this genre. The casting of the actors is just about perfect, as they all look, sound and perform like you would imagine German teens would, who are not that much different from any other young people their age anywhere in the world.

Even if the audience of SUMMER STORM isn't gay, it deals effectively with the kind of emotions and situations that all adults can relate to, back when they were younger, and kids who are the same age as the film's characters can identify with now.

A well-made coming-of-age tale for everyone (except for conservative prudes and pre-teens), definitely worth your time.