Les poissons sauteurs

Almut Getto created something only a few filmmakers are able to - an intimate portrait of young people falling in love for the first time. Although it all happens with one of the protagonists being HIV-positive, this is not another melodramatic movie about AIDS. No! "Fickende Fische" is first and above all a love story among two 16 year olds with all the normal problems, and AIDS being "just" one of them. Getto and her young actors perfectly walk the narrow line between intimate feelings and unrelenting fate - and manage to make the viewer an intimate part of this relationship.

Just as if we were one of the protagonists ourselves we feel our heart beat as they touch almost unknowingly for the first time; and feel with them each and every step of the following relationship.

"Fickende Fische" is a small movie. One of those that ask the audience to become a 16 year old boy or girl and fall in love again - and to deal with AIDS not in an AIDS-movie, but tragically and comically at the same time in a little big love story.

I had been looking for this movie for a long time because my brother had seen it in a festival and told me how great it was. However, not even once during the time I spent searching for this movie did I read a summary of the plot, I had no idea of what the story was, I knew that the title meant 'Fucking Fish' or something like that but I never stopped thinking of what it would be about; so today as I was watching the movie I was becoming increasingly satisfied and surprised by the plot. It is a love story, but it is told in a magnificent way and due to the conditions of the relation it is not your average love story. Acting is amazing and the characters are easy to identify with. I'm not telling anything more, because I believe the best way to enjoy this movie is being unaware of it beforehand, let the movie take you by surprise.

I know this movie is not easy to get (at least in my country), so if you can get ahold of one copy, watch it and see for yourself why this is a beautiful and excellent story.