Tomcat
Original Title
Kater- Director: Klaus Händl
- Writer: Klaus Händl
- Producer: Antonin Svoboda; Bruno Wagner
CGiii Comment
There's only so much sweet domesticity you can take before the rot of monotony sets in...even with the addition of on-screen, totally unnecessary erections!
That is up until the 35th minute...when a totally banal, out-of-the-blue and inexplicable act of savagery kills - stone dead - the idyll.
This 'savagery' may have been a momentary plunge into acute madness...or, plain and simple wickedness...or, a deep-rooted mental disorder...we'll never know, Klaus Händl, unwisely, lets this slip away. Instead, focusing on the relationship...from the perspective of not knowing the man you thought you knew so well! But...within this vagueness, an intense dichotomy is created. If he is suffering from mental illness, he's treated terribly. If he's not, his treatment is - by far - too liberal.
The film - most definitely - is a post-cinema conversation piece. If faced with a similar situation: What would you do? Each [to their own] will have a different take...here, the physicality goes flying out of the window, no more erections! Attraction can be affected and infected by out-of-character deeds and actions...hey, isn't that why relationships come to an end?!?
An intense, challenging film with performances to match...as to how convincing it is, relies soley on your own personal interpretation...the framing of the film leads to a spooky realisation...indeed, it all could happen again!
Unpleasant, unrelenting, formidably frustrating...and, clever. So, so very clever!
Trailer...
TOMCAT Trailer - Berlinale 2016 from Gerald Kerkletz on Vimeo.
The(ir) Blurb...
Andreas and Stefan live a blissful existence together with their tomcat, Moses. They inhabit a beautiful old house in the vineyards near Vienna and work in the same orchestra as manager and musician. Their passion for music, their large circle of friends and colleagues and their furry companion define the daily lives of the two men. But one morning an unexpected outburst of violence from Stefan shakes their harmonious relationship to its core. From this moment on, scepticism and alienation define their cohabitation and represent an almost insurmountable obstacle. While Stefan is losing the ground beneath his feet, Andreas struggles with his mistrust and his love for Stefan.
Following his award-winning debut März (March), in his second film Händl Klaus portrays the expulsion of two lovers from paradise. Demonstrating exceptional sensitivity for the male psyche and for the blind spots in all our personalities, this artistic and poetic ballad tells of the fragility of love. Actors Philipp Hochmair and Lukas Turtur are both born theatre thespians and their naturalistic screen performances are impressive.
Cast & Characters
Toni as Kater Moses;
Thomas Stipsits as Lorenz;
Manuel Rubey as Vladimir;
Gerald Votava as Max;
Gabriela Hegedüs as Helga;
Philipp Hochmair as Andreas;
Magdalena Kronschläger;
Lukas Turtur as Stefan;
Vitus Wieser as Officer Rieger