Ariztical Entertainment
announced this past week that writer/director Diemo Kemmesies’ Silent
Youth will be making its domestic DVD debut on Jan. 13.
The city of Berlin serves
as an interesting — no, that’s not near strong enough, how about intriguing —
yes, intriguing backdrop to this story of a chance meeting between two young
men. Visually impressive, but not in
the sense that filmmakers use the streets and tourist trappings of Paris as a
romantic metaphor, Berlin gets a decidedly different look here … which is, in
the end, melancholy in nature.
Marlo (Martin Bruchmann —
The
Tower) has arrived in the city to visit a friend, Franzi (Linda Schüle)
and they seem to be just that, friends.
When she heads off to work, he sets out to explore the city and it is
here that he “bumps” into Kirill (Josef Mattes), who is scarred and bruised
from a recent altercation.
They spend the evening
together taking in the sights of the city (interesting choices), but share very
little in the way of conversation.
Phone numbers are exchanged.
Later, Marlo confesses to
Franzi that he’s met someone. She asks
“what’s her name,” and Marlo simply replies “Kirill” and you can see (again
without dialogue) the sudden change in her demeanor … it’s a body language
expression that is very much like “Oh shit!
Really?”
Marlo meets Kirill a
second time and more information is exchanged as they once again take in some interesting,
but un-touristy spots … eventually arriving back at Kirill’s apartment.
Of course they will move
on. Marlo back to school and Kirill to
an uncertain fate, but the memories of their chance encounter will remain.
Silent Youth is presented in German with English subtitles.
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