Tags: Alicja Bachleda-Curus | Jorgen Tonkel | Kostja Ullmann | Marco Kreuzpaintner | Miriam Morgenstern | Robert Stadlober

One mention of the film's title and you might be in a state of confusion.

Sounding almost like a beach soiree coupled with stormy weather and summer breezes, this film definitely surprises. Summer Storm isn't really about the weather and neither can you expect it be a superficial portrayal of sun, sand, sea and in this case, the rain.

The crux of the film is simple. Both cox and oarsman are the best of friends. Having been through ups and downs, both buddies are inseparable. Until of course one of them gets involved with a girl. That's not all. Here, the plot thickens further. One of them finally realizes that he feels a lot more for his friend than he intended to. That's when things start to get complicated and this new discovery leads to personal confusion and public prejudice.

Having won the Audience Award at the Munich International Film Festival 2004, Summer Storm makes for a rather refreshing take on being homosexual. Don't expect any voyeuristic nuances in this film - there's none. But there's plenty of reality peppered through out. The film is honest and heart wrenching.

Award-winning young actor (Best Lead Actor at the Montreal Film Festival 2001) Robert Stadlober (Tobi) gives a stellar performance as the main character of the story which maps his 'coming-out' with much taste. Not only does the storyline tug at your heart, it also adds a few laughs with various comedic elements. This film is a perfect mix of what's authentically compelling and yet sincere at the same time.

Written by Marco Kreuzpaintner and Thomas Bahmann, the film is as honest as it gets. It's a no holds barred type of depiction. There's none of those sleazy commercial gay fluff in this film. Directed by Marco himself, he "wanted to make a film that presents homosexuality in a way that can be understood by a broad public - not a "niche" film about gay callboys or married men having their coming-out'.

He intended for the film to be "serious about youths, their emotional world, their melancholy'. If that's what he set out to achieve then I think he accomplished his goal, because by the end of the film, what fills your heart is not disgust nor dislike, but rather, a certain appreciation and understanding of those with different 'preferences'. Summer Storm is truly a film that you won't forget.