According to the description, it may seem that Kantou’s film, which broke the Siegessaule prize at the Berlinale, is a kind of “Brokeback Mountain” of Deutsch Education, but in fact it is more like a film adaptation of fluffy fanfiction – and in a good sense of the word. Indeed, the viewer is tired of shedding tears over the unfortunate fate of gays, separated by death/illness/convention and the like: give him a normal love story with a happy or at least open ending! Here Kant turned out just such a story, and it is told so beautifully and simply that you can not break away from the screen, despite the rusty-eyed shooting with a hand-held camera.
The German kibbutz fascinates at first sight: the spectator-citizen delights at the sight of rural romance, and the one who in his life pricked something more serious than a rosary on two acres at the cottage, will be seized by nostalgia, for before his eyes will pass the whole range of agricultural work from cleaning the barn to storing grain. Sometimes there is even a feeling that the action takes place not in our days, but in the heyday of the GDR - everything is so cozy and Soviet. Well, except that the girls are more liberated - almost everyone tries to get Marco drunk and drag him to bed - just that. The filmmakers, whether they pursued this goal or not, managed to imbue their brainchild with the spirit of authenticity: what happens on the screen, believe 99%. One percent I still blame on the fact that it is difficult to believe in the possibility of having sex in the “Niva”-three-door, especially if you are two not very dwarf guys.
Despite the scant acting baggage, Lucas Steltner and Kai Muller coped with the roles well: they scurry around the farm as if they had been doing it all their lives, not forgetting to throw, in addition to dung, eloquent glances towards each other and a flutter of eyelashes. Of course, in “Brokeback Mountain” everything was more masculine, but here the heroes are almost teenagers who have not yet understood themselves. Their self-determination is in full swing not only in terms of sexual life - Kantu raises the issue of professional orientation, the benefit for modern Germany is perhaps relevant: everyone wants to sit in the office and get a decent salary instead of turning the tails of cows for pennies. In this regard, Jacob cannot but arouse respect - instead of the career of a typical "not like all" middle manager, he leaves the bank and goes to the collective farm, following the dictates of his heart. Perhaps this is the beauty of youth: under the slogan “I have not decided yet” you can try a lot of new and exciting things. Actually, this is what the picture tells, if we consider it in a broad sense.
Result. Not the most hyped, but definitely worth watching a tape on gay topics, which blows the atmosphere of a youthful experiment; light, unobtrusive and beautiful in its conciseness.
Harvest is a German drama with a taste of the melodrama directed by Benjamin Kanto in 2011. This film tells the story of two gay men who met while working on a farm. They became friends, and then became for each other something more important, necessary and dear.
This film is in the collection of films of this genre associated with the secret relationships of gays, who hide everything from everyone. The film did not reveal anything new, it revealed the story of the feelings of young people against the background of hard work and beautiful nature. This drama will naturally not be to everyone’s taste, because most of these films do not perceive at all, but a true connoisseur and viewer will definitely be found for this film.
The film is not banal, it has deep thinking and realism. Everything is shown believably and vitally, just as everything actually happens. The main roles of the guys were played by young, German actors Lucas Steltner and Kai Muller. The actors are not well known, but they play well, and you believe in them. I remember Lucas Steltner well after this picture. His hero was a multifaceted person and interesting, who inside everything was boiling, and he was looking for his life path. Director and screenwriter Benjamin Kantu creates a time-consuming atmosphere in the film, in which forbidden and hidden, unexpected feelings are shown interestingly and sensually. Harvest is for those who are looking for something, or those who love and appreciate films about the feelings, pain and passion of same-sex relationships.
Harvest is an inconspicuous example of what a movie can be simple and understandable to anyone. When it comes to love, it doesn’t matter who the partners are. The tape becomes close to everyone, showing that sometimes they touch the soul not at all songs under the balcony at the moon, or beautiful words. If the movie is good, it is good. Simple truth.
Marco and Jacob are just guys working on a farm. They have their whole life ahead of them, and only they have the right to manage it. In the meantime, they just learn to care for cows, look after crops and harvest crops. And one day, even without really getting acquainted, they realize that there is no friendship between them. Really simple.
The film is shot as if on an amateur camera - as if the viewer, like a spy, wanders after the heroes on his heels, and this creates a sense of everyday life. You do not notice that everything that happens on the screen, it seems, is just a movie, and you begin to worry about the guys, as if they have already become friends with the viewer. Moreover, it is necessary to give credit to the creators - a lot of time was spent on the demonstration and detailed description of agricultural works, which, by no means, does not spoil the tape, but puts an additional plus for all the same realism. It is simply incredible how the director was able to skillfully manage time so that the viewer did not get bored.
But the love of Marco and Jacob is worth paying special attention. Quiet, beautiful and almost imperceptible - these two had only one look to express all their feelings, which makes them catch almost every stroke of their eyelashes. Fear of society, peers and a crazy desire to just be with someone you love. Yes, love is beautiful, but still not understood by anyone, so it is doubly attractive. And, of course, nothing like this would have happened if it wasn’t for two truly wonderful actors – Lucas Steltner and Kai Muller. Playing love is not easy; playing homosexual love is almost impossible. That’s why I love these movies.
The film, titled “City, Village, River,” will be associated with another rural gay story, but you should watch it. Firstly, it is extremely realistic and the first half of the film is generally reminiscent of documentary surveillance. Secondly, there are perfectly sane gays - without hymns, parades and ass in feathers. And thirdly, this film, strangely enough, raises the question of choice of profession and education - very important for the German economy.
And, strangely, farmers picking carrots a few hours away from the European gay capital are introverted and completely virgin. But on the other hand, we, spoiled by Tom Tickwer and Mark Rothemund, know that Germany is an advanced and dynamic country, but the farmers living in it may never get to Berlin, “because it is expensive,” as one of the characters of the film says.
Despite the fact that the film, of course, about gays and all the plot twists are built around the rapprochement of two modest boys, important topics are raised here. For example, why young workers start and stay in the agricultural field, and how they can feel in new circumstances, and what can happen to them if they change their habitual habitat for something new.
In the Soviet cinema of the 30s, a huge number of films about professions were shot in order to attract young people to collective farms and factories. This German work hardly sets itself such goals. Just informs the viewer that in Germany there are not only gay parades, national movements and electronic music. There are also industries where people seemingly not created for such professions work.
This film is clearly not aimed at a mass audience. Social realism, author’s vision of the director, focus on the thoughts and feelings of the characters, the absence of sharp plot twists are clearly traced. The film is definitely not “entertaining.” This is an art house movie.
Cons:
It's kind of boring. But this is what the chosen genre requires.
Pros:
Realism. Especially sound. I think thanks to him, the picture looks so lifelike that at some point you begin to smell hay, manure, freshness, after rain, dampness, etc.
Beautiful actor Kai Muller, at the age of twenty, played a young, but not deprived of his life position, a pretty guy, by the name of Jacob.
The second actor can not be noted with any remarkable features.
In this film, you will not see a template storyline, and therefore, viewing this picture is designed for the viewer of “special”, for example, artists, composers, poets, as it seems to me.
In any case, I recommend watching if you have a lot of free time. The film is not bad.
After watching “The Harvest” it took some time, but in my head still born claws like a farm, two guys, love, the city. That’s why I don’t like movies like that. In general, cinema is like a photograph, some pictures are absolutely correctly put, verified, except for “excellent” there is nothing to add; other pictures make you think, make you think and eventually help the photographer with their comments or advice for further work; others take attention at every segment, at every shade, the course of lines and leave without words, because even “super” or “good” before what is reflected in the eyes sounds like a cheap excuse before art. I'll put this film in the third category, if I may put it that way.
Really, two guys on a big farm. Jacob has everything a rural guy could want, including a secure future, Marco only has this farm and the old Niva he just found. Different? Only materially. Internally, they are very similar, at least in that they brought them together (agriculture). Jakob wants a simple life, without purpose and without demands. Marco wants to see the city. To do this, he has a car, even if not on the go, and it seems that nothing is needed. But he won't go without the key. And this key is Jacob, who magically turns not only Niva, but also the life of Marco, and fulfills the dream of Berlin. This is the story of two young men who complement each other.
P.S. Such pictures should be, and they should live. They are not for everyone, and they are not for everyone.
Marco is an apprentice on a large farm 60 kilometers south of Berlin. If he passes the exam, he will become a qualified farmer. He has almost no friends, and other students see him as a silent, very withdrawn and lonely young man.
But when Jacob appears in the village, Marco's life slowly begins to change. While transporting hay and caring for calves, a mutual sympathy arises between Jacob and Marco. Going on a day trip to Berlin, the heroes decide to reveal their feelings. Guys are not quite sure that farming is exactly what they need, but they really want to find their place in life and maybe love.
A beautiful film without excessive noise, without artificiality, without cinematic falsehood. It shows real people, a real atmosphere, a rural pond in which the leaves swim. Good direction, beautiful country views and such a sweet story.