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Drifter

Panorama 2023
© Salzgeber
Moritz arrives in Berlin with no particular plans. He might study art history, but there is no rush, he is only 22. He has moved here to be with his boyfriend Jonas, an attractive photographer who is a little more accustomed to the easy-going, noncommittal ways of the city. But then their relationship suddenly comes to an end. Devastated and alone, Moritz becomes a seeker. His first foray takes him to a gym. Little by little his fashion, his friends and his drugs start to change. His life becomes more and more nocturnal, and he begins to live out his repressed desires.
With a documentary-like sensibility, Hannes Hirsch’s feature-length debut sensitively depicts a new start in Berlin’s gay scene. Body images and notions of masculinity are constantly being negotiated, sexual constellations and identities are changing, and insecurities are sedated with the intoxicating rush of the next encounter. But Moritz’s vulnerability is always discernible. In this way, Drifter looks beneath the seductive surface of a night culture that knows no bounds and its short-lived games, revealing the actual people rather than celebrating the cliché.
by Hannes Hirsch
with Lorenz Hochhuth, Cino Djavid, Gustav Schmidt, Oscar Hoppe, Marie Tragousti, Aviran Edri, Cat Jugravu, Karim Alexandre Howard, Rabea Egg, Elaine Cameron Germany 2023 German, English 79’ Colour

With

  • Lorenz Hochhuth (Moritz)
  • Cino Djavid (Noah)
  • Gustav Schmidt (Jonas)
  • Oscar Hoppe (Stefan)
  • Marie Tragousti (Eleftheria)
  • Aviran Edri (Daniel)
  • Cat Jugravu (Kasi)
  • Karim Alexandre Howard (Ron)
  • Rabea Egg (Anna)
  • Elaine Cameron (Clara)

Crew

Director Hannes Hirsch
Screenplay Hannes Hirsch
Co-Written by River Matzke
Cinematography Eli Börnicke
Editing Elena Weihe
Music Elie Gregory
Sound Design Ilya Selikhov, Sum-Sum Shen
Sound Moritz Zuchantke
Production Design Fia Bartesch, Lasha Rostobaia
Costumes Edgar Mauser, Janina Kaßan, Nina Zimmermann
Make-Up Lone Anders, Evin Yeyrek
Assistant Directors Laura Schinzel, Drew Lint
Production Manager Ayla Sophia Franken
Producers Diemo Kemmesies, Hannes Hirsch
Co-Producers Jost Hering, Björn Koll
Co-Production Jost Hering Filme Berlin
Salzgeber Berlin

World sales

Salzgeber & Co. Medien

http://www.salzgeber.de http://www.salzgeber.de

Produced by

Milieufilm

http://www.milieufilm.com http://www.milieufilm.com

Photos

Hannes Hirsch

He studied directing at the Filmarche film school in Berlin and took Thomas Arslan’s Narrative Film class at Berlin University of the Arts. His mid-length film Beach Boy screened at numerous festivals including the Max Ophüls Preis film festival and Achtung Berlin where it won the award for best mid-length film. In 2009, he co-founded the Milieufilm production company with Diemo Kemmesies. Hannes Hirsch is also the creator and developer of the Fuzzlecheck media preproduction software.

Filmography (selection)

2008 Rosa Jungs; short film 2011 Beach Boy; medium-length film 2018 Routes; short film 2023 Drifter

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2023