Tant que tu es là

Hi there,

let me briefly tell all of you, that I loved that film. You'll love it,too. I, as a cineast, have always been wondering why gay issued-films became so incredibly boring. Watching "Solange Du hier bist", i found an answer: Because they don't face reality and suffocated in sort of post 80ies trial of breaking taboos, that are not longer existent. Or they obviously just try to tear the money out of the audiences pockets with offering cheap and "pseudo-sexy" stories. "Solange Du hier bist!" doesn't either do the first nor the second. This film seems to have broken a new taboo, confronting the (gay) audience with (their) absolute and personal reality! Honest, brutal, courageous, empathetic!I am sure that might be disturbing for some, but it's a revolution in a way... This film shows individual life, and suddenly puts the word -cinema- above the brand -gay movies-. Congrats...

TO Stampa Rosa: Don't worry about Torino. Maybe you'll win next time!

hi there,... before watching that film in Rotterdam, I didn't know what to expect. I heard a lot about that movie from press and friends but I went out before that film finished, thinking that I wasn't really interested in it (or i didn't feel in the mood). But then I realized that I couldn't stop thinking about the images the old man and the atmosphere. I was caught in this movie. and I still had them in my mind a couple of days. Without knowing where that all came from. That impressed me and I went in again on another festival and stayed until the end. It was absolutely worth it! It's incredible how subtle the film/the actors/the camera/the way of directing tears one into this very personal world and transforms the whole banality into a deep and intense (not only filmic)experience. You need to sit and wait a bit, but after 15 or 20 minutes your part of it. I really like to apologize for not being patient enough the first time!

I as well had the chance to attend a q&a afterwards. The director found beautifully words to explain it. You really feel that he and his camera woman live for that way of telling stories,... 100% sensitivity!

As long as you can suffer it! If you like watching people waking up, getting up, getting dressed, having a shower, preparing dinner, watching each other, having sex in the dark, then going back to bed to sleep... if you like tacky flats, narrow bedrooms and kitchens, long minutes of silence.... if you like getting bored for two hours, feeling the thrill of "real intimate false art", then you will like it. But if you don't, just try to see a good movie, there are thousands. "As long as you are here", but do we want to stay? This German movie got the award of the Torino gay film festival: Italian journalists still don't understand why the jury took such a bad decision, as the festival presented lot of talented movies. Maybe to be nice with a German, as they don't often get awards? Well, "The Lives of Others" did... but this one is excellent but not gay. So maybe it is a question of fashion. Germans are they "in" again? No matter what? Or maybe only for a hustler's glance of some directors?

I saw that film even before Ms. Stampa Rosa. Not just in Locarno, where i attended its world premier, no, where ever I've been able to watch it, i couldn't wait seeing it.

And every time i am anew impressed by the beautiful images, by it's impressing tenderness and the sensitive and sensitively told story! I don't perceive it as a gay movie- IT IS MORE! of course, on its surface, it deals with a gay subject, but develops into a incredibly touching portrait of life in general and a fascinating and precise portrait of an old man, as well! Non moralist and open minded! And definitely non of these "gay soft-porn"

To Ms "Stampa Rosa": And now, i am proud to be able to tell you, that i saw it around 4 times internationally and have never been bored at all. I am not sure what you expect from film, but this film has everything a young film should have. It offers a courageous insight into the reality of a living being, into a part of society, younger people like to push aside. THIS, Ms "Stampa Rosa" is a film which gives you 150% back of what it's promising. Your generalization is annoying! One advice: Watch more German Films, (whatch more films in general), and read more press articles (as i am working for Press as well, I know that what you say is definitely NOT TRUE!!! (you should read the international articles about the film as well.) You'll find out that you belong to a minority with your opinion. The awards this film has already won, should say you the same.

I went to see the movie without any expectations, during the Montreal World Film Festival. What can someone expect from a young director, with a young crew, right? What I found out surprised me, and my friends whom I brought back with me to see the movie for themselves. The finesse, the depth of each line, the lightness of small gestures, combined with an impeccable camera technique, gave a wonderful result. Among all the young creators and participants in this movie, the director Stefan Westerwelle definitely knew how to attract the spectator into the show! Michael Gempart does a great part, down to the smallest detail. His role is more of a meditation, a spoken one... Leander Lichti also plays with easiness a character that is quite difficult to portray. The pair reflects very well the incongruence of two ages. My only regret with regard to the movie is that it didn't get any prize at the festival in Montreal. I can't wait for the DVD to come out!