Opening 24 Oct 2019
Directed by:
Tamer Jandali
Writing credits:
Tamer Jandali
Principal actors:
Stella Vivien Dhingra, Niclas Jüngermann, Sönke Andersen, Sophia Seidenfaden, Lenika Lukas
Tamer Jandali collected seven lay people to portray different versions of finding a partner, coping with a relationship, falling in love, etc. They appear as Lenny, Pia, Sophia, Nic, Stella, Sören and Maria, assuming their own or similar names for their roles. Lenny and Pia are a gay couple. Nic and Stella have an open relationship. Sören is pushing 40, has had many relationships; he hopes that Maria is the answer. Sophia moves back home to mama and her three younger sisters. The participants brought their personal experiences into the situation, which then evolved according to their own creativity and imagination, together with director Jandali. What is real and what is fiction? We see people boxing, wearing tattoos, moving in with friends, being homeless, standing naked both on the balcony and in the lake. There are massages, parties, sex, a sex threesome, prostitution, etc. After 88 minutes we’ve seen it all, of which much is familiar, except one unique scene: a young man lovingly shaves his girlfriend’s crotch.
Tamer Janhali first learned the profession of chimney sweep and non-medical practitioner before earning a degree in media at the art college (Kunsthochschule für Media) in Cologne and making a series of short films. This is his first full-length feature film. Easy Love has made the tour of film festivals, picking up prizes in Cannes, Berlin, Locarno, Montreux, Toronto, San Francisco, etc. I, personally, could not connect with this film, but viewers of the generation 25-45 (years old) might recognize themselves or perhaps learn something new. (Becky Tan)
