a short film by Jan Krüger 2001 | 21 mins | Germany ›› Freunde - The Whiz Kids an atypical tale of adolescent sexual awakening The problems with teenage hormones rear their head again in this intriguing playful work, as we encounter two sixteen-year-old boys who spend their days wrestling, racing and just playing games with each other. Only the game of hide-and-seek they play is one of sexual orientation, given shy Johannes lusts after the physical affection of Marco, only with Marco straight, such carnal desires must remain hidden. Or must they? As Marco plays with his sexuality, one minute the all round heterosexual, whilst the next giving off signals that can only but leave the most finely tuned gaydar confused. But then, so too is the viewer. Given one is never quite sure what is happening in this surreal short, even to the point of questioning whether Marco could be the product of Johannes' imagination. And yet it is the relationship between the boys that is the mainstay of this work. For whether such is more fantasy, than reality, it is one that draws you in, only in the certain knowledge that the growing closeness between the two can only but lead to a series of awkward questions being raised. To that end, Martin Kiefer as Johannes and Marlon Kittel as Marco aptly display the emotions that go hand-in-hand with the sexual transition of life, in a work that is a refreshing, if at times perplex variation on the theme of adolescent sexual awakening. Then again, this equally marked a graduation piece from Krüger; one that went on to receive the Silver Lion Award for Best Film Short at the 58th Film Festival in Venice in September 2001. Need more be said?   screened as part of the 17th London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, 2003. starring: Martin Kiefer and Marlon Kittel. Copyright 2003 David Hall - www.gaycelluloid.com. archive reference #050 ›› previous page | back to top | print me ‹‹