MWFF 2014: The Summer House

DAS SOMMERHAUS / THE SUMMER HOUSE

2014, Colour, Germany, World Competition 

Production Team

Director: Curtis Burz

Screenwriter: Curtis Burz

Cinematographer Andreas Gockel, Peter Sebera

Editor Curtis Burz

Cast: Sten Jacobs, Anna Altmann, Jaspar Fuld, Nina Splettstöber, Stephan Bürgi, Natascha Zimmermann

Music Bastian Schick

Film production and Sales: Prod. & Ventes/Sales: Focusingfilms, Behmanstrass. 65, 10439 Berlin (Allemagne), tél.: (+49-30) 7153 06 56, curtisburz@hotmail.com

Director

Born in Mediasch, Romania in 1970, Curtis Burz immigrated to Germany as a child and studied acting and directing at the Bremen Theatre Institute. He began making short films in 2002 with Mark Morrisroe – Polaroids 1959-1989 and feature-length films in 2006 with EDUCATED PEOPLE. Among his other works: Virginia (2006), Adoleszenz (2006), Homeland Stories (2010), WILL MCBRIDE - BOYS STORIES (2011), I NEVER TOLD YOU WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING (2011), GIVE ME ANOTHER YEAR (2012), his first fiction feature, and NORA (2013), the last two shown at the MWFF. 

Official Synopsis

"When family man and successful architect Markus meets the 12-year-old son of his colleague, he feels an immediate affection for the boy." 

The photo above shows several production team members just before the press conference at the Montreal World Film Festival 2014. From left to right: actor Stephan Bürgi, actrice Anna Altmann, Director and Screen writer Curtis Burz, cameramen Peter Sebera and Andreas Gockel. Below are the film's official poster and actrice Anna Altmann.

Curtis Burz, the director of the film, is a professional psychologist - it is what he does for living when not shooting films in his spare time. This is his third film. It deals with exactly the same very difficult issues that he faces with his clients in his professional practice. The film is not easy to watch as one realises in what type of a personal hell live some very respectable-looking people with prestigious jobs and equally successful positions in the society. 

As one watches the film it become painfully obvious that regardless of the respectful veneer, these people are quite empty, not even capable of any interesting or meaningful conversations or utterances. Their attention is focused on themselves, to large extend on their sexual needs and desires, probably because sexual gratification and the variety it offers (like swapping partners, group sex, or desiring adolescent or child partners of the same sex to fulfil their sexual appetites) makes them feel more fulfilled and probably even more alive.

Yet it is clear these types of sexual pursuits do not make them happier but spiral them into bigger and bigger mess, drawing into an inescapable vortex all those who surround them. The direction of the spiral is downward. There is a progressive personal degradation which brings on the abuse of others, of children, not only sexually but also when letting a child to observe the drama of a grown-up's despair (the attempted hanging by the girl's mother).

One can only conclude that the apparent emptiness of those people stems from the fact that their lives are only based on material circumstances and on the fulfilment of their personal needs. There is no spiritual dimension to their lives, no higher values or understanding of their existence. This film shows that the modern society has robbed people of their true core, of their spiritual dimension, the higher meaning of which would have structured them spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, as well as energetically in such a way as to establish a solid base on which to build their lives and relationships, leading to much greater and more real personal fulfilment.

Although a discussion of personal problems in a psychologist's office might bring a temporary relief from inner tensions, and a person might learn not to act on his or hers urges, those urges would not go away. No amount of talking with a psychologist would bring a permanent solution and a true healing unless the person succeeds in recapturing and re-establishing his own higher spiritual essence which would restructure his being in an upward spiral.

This film had a budget of only 700 Euro. There was no pre-written script, only a synopsis of the story line was given to the actors. Before every scene the director told the actors what was required of them to portray, and the scenes were improvised, which in itself is quite remarkable.

Top Image courtesy MWFF 2015 and the Director of the film.
All other photos by Nadia Slejskova.
© Nadia Slejskova