Drifter (German/English)

In very simple words, this film is about a young gay man's journey of self-discovery through Berlin’s progressive LGBTQ+ community. You could say that there I snot much happening in the film, but actually, there isa lot going on. You see how circumstances and people around him change him and how a young man is learning to break free of cultural expectations and fully embrace his true self, with very fluid ideas of gender and sexuality.

Drifter is the story of a 22-year-old boy named Moritz  who moves to Berlin to be with his boyfriend Jonas. But his life and future soon change when Jonas, who wasn’t hugely committed to their relationship, breaks up with him. But this also happens when we are given a hint that as a person Jonas is more outgoing, clubs and party kinda guy where Moritz prefers comforts of home, a more heteronormative life style. So now shunned as a person with no place to live, and feeling lost, directionless, and alone, Moritz finds himself drawn into the lifestyle he had previously shunned and, in the process, tests the boundaries of his own personal limits. We see him meet different people at different points and how every small thing is changing him as a person. These include, a straight couple, an older gay man who also is not ready to settle, a gender fluid friend, a failed opportunity at BDSm, and more and more drugs. But one thing thats happening in front of you is you see a once shy Moritz coming out of his shell. In an endearing end, Jonas comes back into the picture, meets a now very changed Moritz and asks him out again.

Drifter carefully selects the moments we get to see, focusing first of all on a young man who’s trying to belong to a community that is not only incredibly diverse, but also scarred by trauma in many different ways. The people are confident, freethinking and modern; which is all very different from what Moritz is used to. But with all these people he meets over time and gets to learn a thing or two from each of them and grow. The film comes alive in its quieter moments, where glances are enough to convey what’s left unsaid and our protagonist simply exists, in a community in flux, searching for his own identity in the midst of it all. The actor playing Moritz is really good. The thing I like about the film was that it never gets too loud or over the top. In addition to Moritz, each and every single one of the people he meets are multifaceted, complex characters, coping with their own burdens and expressing themselves in their own way. In their presence Moritz is never alone but he still feels lonely, but he also inevitably does find himself in the end, in his own quiet but assured way. This film is a poignant watch that depicts dynamics you’ll probably recognize and relate with. Despite not having a clear beginning or ending, we see a snapshot of the life of a young man who is vulnerable even while he is growing as person defying preconceived notions of masculinity. This is the kind of film that will likely grow on you in second viewing. As I wrote this review, I suddenly feel lot more appreciative of what I just saw. (7/10)