Fire is a force that can destroy and devastate, but it's also one thar can cleanse, sweeping away what's of questionable value in order to clear space for robust, vigorous, valued new growth. And, sometimes, it can do both simultaneously, as demonstrated in writer-director Christian Petzold's latest, a searing drama/wry comedy about four old/newfound friends who are unwittingly drawn together at a summer house near the Baltic seacoast. Their time together proves revelatory, stressful and enlightening, in part because of their interactions, the disclosures that come out of those relationships, and the looming threat of ravaging forest fires that threaten them and their existence, both literally and metaphorically. The film is a slowburn in every sense of the word, especially at the outset, with a somewhat cryptic narrative that seems rather meandering at times, but that sets the stage for what's to follow in the back half. The picture subsequently presents a witty but profoundly insightful examination of what makes us who we are, how much we enjoy or endure our lives, and what we can do to make it better for ourselves when we eliminate what no longer serves us. In many respects, "Afire" is probably not what most viewers will expect, but, then, that's a huge part of its appeal, a refreshing, engaging look at life and what we make of it, a valuable exercise given how abruptly it can all be taken away, leaving us to ask ourselves, what did we do with the time we had and was it indeed worth it in the end? Give this one time to unfold, and let it sink in. It may help you realize and understand more about yourself than you can possibly imagine.
24 Reviews
A gem of a film
NZTed12 August 2023
This is an absolute gem of a film. I hadn't done my homework - just ticked it a as good option to see in the NZ International Film Festival, but I was hooked form the opening scenes. It's a subtle, beautifully played film, based around a young writer (Leon) who is struggling to put the finishing touches to a novel, while staying at what is turning out to be the holiday home from hell. Leon is his own worst enemy, always makes the wrong choice, and then beats himself up about it. There is a sinister backdrop to the story, and an unsettling tonal shift toward the end - but that's life, right? Despite the dark undercurrent that gradually emerges, the film is also very funny, and therefore works on more than one level - as a study of human behaviour but also as pure entertainment. I loved this film, and I highly recommend it.
Afire
CinemaSerf24 August 2023
"Leon" (Thomas Schubert) and his friend "Felix" (Langston Uibel) head to a remote rural cottage near the Baltic coast so the former man can put the finishing touches to his novel before a visit from his publisher (Matthias Brandt). They arrive, though, and discover that "Nadja" (Paula Beer) is already staying - and this upsets the apple cart a bit. "Leon" quickly becomes obsessed - and that only gets worse when her nocturnal activities with life guard "Devid" (Enno Trebs) and some wafer thin walls force him to sleep in the garden amongst the mosquitoes. What now ensues is quite an intricately constructed observational presentation that looks at the evolving dynamic between the four - and it doesn't pan out as you might expect, especially once it becomes clear that his latest literary work is nobody's idea of a magnum opus. The characterisations here have a fluidity to them that makes for quite an interesting watch. None of them could ever be described as beautiful - in any classical sense - so the story is much more about their traits, flaws and foibles than about their looks. That works up to a point, but there was too much missing from the puzzle for me to really find myself engaged with any of them. The last twenty minutes - set amidst some lethal forest fires - was rushed and seemed to me indicative that "Leon" wasn't the only one who'd suffered from a writer's block! The photography is effectively intimate at times but at other times we see just too many shots walking to and from the beach (and the constant buzzing of the mozzies got on my nerves a bit, too, after a while!). I did quite enjoy this, but somehow it just lacked substance before a conclusion that just seemed to be unnecessarily ghastly. Give it a go, though...
under-realized
magnuslhad4 September 2023
Leon and Felix, two young men with work to do, head to a family cottage to complete their tasks. But a beautiful interloper upsets their plans.
It's a familiar set up, given a memorable outing in Lynn Shelton's 'Your Sister's Sister.' The remote setting, the unexpected third wheel, sexual tension, secrets and lies - all the familiar elements are here. There is lots to admire about Afire, most notably the performances from Paul Beer as Nadja, Langston Uibel as Felix, Enno Trebs as Devid and Matthias Brandt as Helmut, a character who arrives late but has a very interesting narrative arc. Ultimately, however, the film fails to deliver a satisfying emotional climax. The tension between Leon and Nadja seems forced, resulting from some unpolished plot manoeuvres. Why does Nadja not reveal her literary background? How can she just 'turn up' in the bedroom with Leon? The main misfire, however, is the casting of Thomas Schubert as Leon. He just never convinces as tortured writer, a character type exemplified by Paul Giamatti in Sideways. It is a puzzling error, given that the other characters are so well cast.
The sound design also slightly annoys by making the buzzing of insects prominent. It is presumably done to put us 'inside' of Leon's discomfort, but it is merely irritating.
The ending felt like it was missing a layer. The turnaround in Leon's fortunes is a nice touch, but I expected to hear that his story was pure fiction inspired by the events, and that the tragedy he relays in his prose had not, in fact, taken place. But the script did not take that step, and that feels like a missed opportunity. Leon is more interested in rekindling a romance than grieving for a friend, and that made me dislike him.
There are many good elements here. Nadja is intriguing and likable, and the romance that blossoms between two characters was unexpected and surprising. The approaching fire is a nice literal and figurative touch. Afire is worth checking out, but it feels like is could have been so much more than it is.
It's a familiar set up, given a memorable outing in Lynn Shelton's 'Your Sister's Sister.' The remote setting, the unexpected third wheel, sexual tension, secrets and lies - all the familiar elements are here. There is lots to admire about Afire, most notably the performances from Paul Beer as Nadja, Langston Uibel as Felix, Enno Trebs as Devid and Matthias Brandt as Helmut, a character who arrives late but has a very interesting narrative arc. Ultimately, however, the film fails to deliver a satisfying emotional climax. The tension between Leon and Nadja seems forced, resulting from some unpolished plot manoeuvres. Why does Nadja not reveal her literary background? How can she just 'turn up' in the bedroom with Leon? The main misfire, however, is the casting of Thomas Schubert as Leon. He just never convinces as tortured writer, a character type exemplified by Paul Giamatti in Sideways. It is a puzzling error, given that the other characters are so well cast.
The sound design also slightly annoys by making the buzzing of insects prominent. It is presumably done to put us 'inside' of Leon's discomfort, but it is merely irritating.
The ending felt like it was missing a layer. The turnaround in Leon's fortunes is a nice touch, but I expected to hear that his story was pure fiction inspired by the events, and that the tragedy he relays in his prose had not, in fact, taken place. But the script did not take that step, and that feels like a missed opportunity. Leon is more interested in rekindling a romance than grieving for a friend, and that made me dislike him.
There are many good elements here. Nadja is intriguing and likable, and the romance that blossoms between two characters was unexpected and surprising. The approaching fire is a nice literal and figurative touch. Afire is worth checking out, but it feels like is could have been so much more than it is.
Uncertainty wrapped up in a cloak of arrogance and self esteem
frankde-jong3 September 2023
In interviews director Christian Petzold gave in connection with the release of "Roter Himmel" he said that he was inspired by French summer / coming of age films from for example Eric Rohmer. According to Petzold this type of film had disappeared out of German cinema since "Menschen am Sonntag" (1930, Robert Siodmak, Edgar Ulmer and Rochus Gliese). "Roter Himmel" is indeed situated during summer, but that is where any comparison ends. The beginning of "Roter Himmel" is much more a parody on the American style coming of age films such as "The cabin in the woods" (2011, Drew Goddard) with a car breaking down in the woods and creepy animal noices thereafter.
"Barbara" (2012, Christian Petzold) was still an explicit political movie about living in the DDR. Since then the films of Petzold have remained socially concerned but have become more abstract. In "Undine" (2020) a water nymph symbolizes the element of water. In "Roter Himmel" forest fires sumbolizes the element of fire. It looks like Petzold has begun a series about the elements, just like Krzysztof Kieslowski made a series about the ideals of the French revolution in the 90's. We are looking forward to the next film.
Forst fires are unfortunately very actual in the summer of 2023. However these fires are not the main theme of the film. "Roter Himmel" is not an eco-drama. They remain on the background, at least that is what we and the characters in the film belief for (too) long.
The main character of the film is Leon (Thomas Schubert), a writer writing his second book and desperately trying to match the success of his first novel. He wraps his uncertainty in a cloak of arrogance and self esteem and in so doing gets estranged from the people around him. These people are for him more an obstacle for working undisturbed than a source of inspiration. When they go for a swim he always says that his work doesn't allow him to join them, only to waste his time when they are gone.
An important moment in the film comes when the publisher of Leon meets him to discuss the progress of his work. He doesn't like the manuscript, but he is very interested in what the people around Leon are doing. Will Leon's eyes finally open?
"Barbara" (2012, Christian Petzold) was still an explicit political movie about living in the DDR. Since then the films of Petzold have remained socially concerned but have become more abstract. In "Undine" (2020) a water nymph symbolizes the element of water. In "Roter Himmel" forest fires sumbolizes the element of fire. It looks like Petzold has begun a series about the elements, just like Krzysztof Kieslowski made a series about the ideals of the French revolution in the 90's. We are looking forward to the next film.
Forst fires are unfortunately very actual in the summer of 2023. However these fires are not the main theme of the film. "Roter Himmel" is not an eco-drama. They remain on the background, at least that is what we and the characters in the film belief for (too) long.
The main character of the film is Leon (Thomas Schubert), a writer writing his second book and desperately trying to match the success of his first novel. He wraps his uncertainty in a cloak of arrogance and self esteem and in so doing gets estranged from the people around him. These people are for him more an obstacle for working undisturbed than a source of inspiration. When they go for a swim he always says that his work doesn't allow him to join them, only to waste his time when they are gone.
An important moment in the film comes when the publisher of Leon meets him to discuss the progress of his work. He doesn't like the manuscript, but he is very interested in what the people around Leon are doing. Will Leon's eyes finally open?
6/10. Watchable but not recommended
athanasiosze12 November 2023
This had potential, there is a good movie inside this movie, just not the one i watched.
It's like this movie has a beginning and an end but not anything in between. This want to be a "character study" but there is not a smooth transition in this leading character's development: He is always immature and suddenly he supposedly has an epiphany. There is no chemistry between him and Nadja, are we suppose to believe that she is attracted to him? Why? How? And the ending is just lazy writing. Symbolisms are naive. And it's "easy". Big events are easy. A more lowkey approach would be better.
Having said that, this is a somewhat good slowburn drama, not a "heavy" drama, neither a comedy as it labelled. I loved the song. Kinda interesting, some intense moments, subtle and well acted. As another reviewer mentioned, "That works up to a point, but there was too much missing from the puzzle for me to really find myself engaged with any of them".
It's like this movie has a beginning and an end but not anything in between. This want to be a "character study" but there is not a smooth transition in this leading character's development: He is always immature and suddenly he supposedly has an epiphany. There is no chemistry between him and Nadja, are we suppose to believe that she is attracted to him? Why? How? And the ending is just lazy writing. Symbolisms are naive. And it's "easy". Big events are easy. A more lowkey approach would be better.
Having said that, this is a somewhat good slowburn drama, not a "heavy" drama, neither a comedy as it labelled. I loved the song. Kinda interesting, some intense moments, subtle and well acted. As another reviewer mentioned, "That works up to a point, but there was too much missing from the puzzle for me to really find myself engaged with any of them".
Why just 7 stars average and just one review? it's a really good movie!
amethystjdhd21 July 2023
This is a really good and well made movie and somehow reminds me of French movies and Francois Truffaut to be specific.. I was first drawn to the music in the trailer and had a feeling about the film's delicate sensitivity and that I would like it. My intuition was correct. The main character is such as interesting leading man, interesting because he isn't a typical protagonist, not particularly attractive, nor charismatic, rather insecure and uncomfortable. For some reason I completely related to him and a viewer would care about what happens to him. (At least I did). (Something important in any good story line). .He is so quiet and yet one senses so much passion inside of him. (I will give no exact details as that would result in "spoilers".) Put it this way. He has written or at least is working on a book and very much hopes it will be approved of by his editor and others. This seems to be his major preoccupation and I think how he sees it as potentially affirming his very self-worth and existence. His connections to the people around him seem to shift though out the movie, and one can see his sense of how little he can control or even predict, as if the world and its people are floating and interacting around him. (I just love movies with shorelines of sandy beaches and long wide shots of the sea. Maybe that's why I gave it 10 vs 9 stars! ) There's much more to the movie than this, but I think you should watch it and see what happens and why it is called Afire. No spoilers here.
Silver Bear for this One??? Come On!
qeter24 October 2023
Seen at the Viennale 2023: we all know the feeling. Coming to a party, feeling that all other people are cooler and smarter and more beautiful, too. In this situation we lose the last intelligence in the brain and start to mumble. Best to leave or drink - hoping to get in a more likeable mood. Petzold takes this situation and has the problem that that theme alone cannot fill a whole movie. In the end he makes a movie around an coming age topic. I guess, not many 20somethings will flock in the cinemas for the latest Petzold. And grownups want more than to follow a sad fellow, when everybody knows that will change over the years anyway, looking at that character.
Cinema Omnivore - Afire (2023) 6.8/10
lasttimeisaw16 October 2023
"It is one thing that audience begins to empathize with Leon's plight on account of Petzold's diligence in his direction and his unyielding focus on him, but to root for Leon is another thing. It is a pertinent dilemma that a director chooses to tell the story of the most inert, most unstimulating character among a close-knit group, just because he can relate to him the most. A testimony that why fiction cinema is hurt for filmmakers from all kinds of diverse groups to tell their own stories, for instance, Devid's sexual fluidity, Nadja's mystique and Felix's sensitivity, are, for Yours Truly's money, all far more appealing than Leon's inceldom and tunnel vision."
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Discussing existance
mmaaxxii5 November 2023
The overall story in this movie is not as compelling and interesting as the characters, who are played by very good actors. The movie operates on multiple levels and provides a new perspective on somewhat familiar themes.
I read through some other reviews and the movie is definitely a bit cliché at times. Also, the fact that it doesn't really provide closure can be seen as a con. But I would be wary of just ignoring the existential anxiety that the movie discusses; coping with avoidance will not allow you to experience the movie as it is intended.
The movie leaves room for interpretation, room for pondering. Rather than negotiating every question that the movie opens up.
I read through some other reviews and the movie is definitely a bit cliché at times. Also, the fact that it doesn't really provide closure can be seen as a con. But I would be wary of just ignoring the existential anxiety that the movie discusses; coping with avoidance will not allow you to experience the movie as it is intended.
The movie leaves room for interpretation, room for pondering. Rather than negotiating every question that the movie opens up.
Uneven but engaging psychological study
dorothybishop-1291129 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
For those of a sensitive disposition, I can confirm that, while forest fires play a key role in this film, it's not particularly frightening or gory. There are some spectacular shots of fire approaching, but not much among the flames. And if you are sensitive about depictions of sex, there's not much here to cause upset - you hear it but don't see it.
On the positive side, the plot ticks along nicely - you're never quite sure what will happen next to the two friends who rock up at a holiday home belonging to the mother of one of them, only to find she's forgotten to mention that a niece of a coworker will also be staying there. The central character, Leon, does a good job in depicting the loneliness that you can feel even when surrounded by other people - his friend Felix bonds with the other guest Nadja, and her boyfriend Devid, with things reaching a nadir when Leon's publisher visits and turns out to be far more interested in Nadja and Felix than in Leon's book. There's a particularly sad scene when Nadja, Felix and Devid play with illuminated frisbees at night while Leon lies on his bed looking out. The others try to be kind, but can't overcome his sense of rejection.
Another positive for me were the scenes of the forest, the beach, and the German seaside town - made me want to visit.
The main negatives were several big holes in the plausibility of the plot. First, the relationship between Nadja and Leon. Leon isn't repulsive, but he's not particularly attractive. That wouldn't matter if he had some wit or charm, sweetness or even artistic flair, but he seems sadly lacking in anything other than a misplaced sense that he is going to be a great novelist. Nadja, on the other hand is beautiful, clever and kind. It isn't surprising that Leon instantly falls for her, but it is implausible that she should reciprocate - particularly when her initial attempts to strike up a relationship are rebuffed. I didn't really feel that Leon's character developed, and his ultimate romantic success seemed due to the fact that everyone else had been killed off, rather than him becoming someone who had something positive to offer a woman in terms of empathy or emotional engagement.
Also, it turns out that the book he's writing is crap. Nadja tells him so - it clearly gives her no pleasure to do so, but she sees the need to be honest. And just in case the audience think she may have been overly judgmental, we are treated to an episode where the publisher visits and reads aloud quite long passages. This was pretty odd and as far as I could see, the only purpose of this episode was to demonstrate to the audience just how turgid Leon's prose was. I kept expecting the publisher to pause and provide a critique of a passage he'd read, but he just kept on and on. Why? Was he hoping that if he read Leon's words back to him, Leon would start to realise how tedious and plodding it was? Nevertheless, after further events, the publisher has a conversation in which he tells Leon to abandon this book, but passionately reassures him that his next book will be much much better. At this point in the story, there was no evidence that this was true, so I couldn't work out the motivation of the publisher - unless maybe he'd shelled out a large advance for the next book and was hoping something better might be possible. If I were a publisher, I'd run a mile from Leon.
Another creaking hole in the plot concerned the car that broke down at the start of the adventure and so was abandoned on the road. Why not stay put and flag down a passing vehicle? Or walk up the road to somewhere with a better mobile signal and call for help? Instead, the friends abandon the car but take their heavy cases with them on a trek through the forest to find the house. And when they go into town, they are told there is no garage that can help recover the car. Hmm.
Anyway, if you can suspend belief from time to time, this is a quite enjoyable study of young adult relationships, set in a picturesque region of Germany.
On the positive side, the plot ticks along nicely - you're never quite sure what will happen next to the two friends who rock up at a holiday home belonging to the mother of one of them, only to find she's forgotten to mention that a niece of a coworker will also be staying there. The central character, Leon, does a good job in depicting the loneliness that you can feel even when surrounded by other people - his friend Felix bonds with the other guest Nadja, and her boyfriend Devid, with things reaching a nadir when Leon's publisher visits and turns out to be far more interested in Nadja and Felix than in Leon's book. There's a particularly sad scene when Nadja, Felix and Devid play with illuminated frisbees at night while Leon lies on his bed looking out. The others try to be kind, but can't overcome his sense of rejection.
Another positive for me were the scenes of the forest, the beach, and the German seaside town - made me want to visit.
The main negatives were several big holes in the plausibility of the plot. First, the relationship between Nadja and Leon. Leon isn't repulsive, but he's not particularly attractive. That wouldn't matter if he had some wit or charm, sweetness or even artistic flair, but he seems sadly lacking in anything other than a misplaced sense that he is going to be a great novelist. Nadja, on the other hand is beautiful, clever and kind. It isn't surprising that Leon instantly falls for her, but it is implausible that she should reciprocate - particularly when her initial attempts to strike up a relationship are rebuffed. I didn't really feel that Leon's character developed, and his ultimate romantic success seemed due to the fact that everyone else had been killed off, rather than him becoming someone who had something positive to offer a woman in terms of empathy or emotional engagement.
Also, it turns out that the book he's writing is crap. Nadja tells him so - it clearly gives her no pleasure to do so, but she sees the need to be honest. And just in case the audience think she may have been overly judgmental, we are treated to an episode where the publisher visits and reads aloud quite long passages. This was pretty odd and as far as I could see, the only purpose of this episode was to demonstrate to the audience just how turgid Leon's prose was. I kept expecting the publisher to pause and provide a critique of a passage he'd read, but he just kept on and on. Why? Was he hoping that if he read Leon's words back to him, Leon would start to realise how tedious and plodding it was? Nevertheless, after further events, the publisher has a conversation in which he tells Leon to abandon this book, but passionately reassures him that his next book will be much much better. At this point in the story, there was no evidence that this was true, so I couldn't work out the motivation of the publisher - unless maybe he'd shelled out a large advance for the next book and was hoping something better might be possible. If I were a publisher, I'd run a mile from Leon.
Another creaking hole in the plot concerned the car that broke down at the start of the adventure and so was abandoned on the road. Why not stay put and flag down a passing vehicle? Or walk up the road to somewhere with a better mobile signal and call for help? Instead, the friends abandon the car but take their heavy cases with them on a trek through the forest to find the house. And when they go into town, they are told there is no garage that can help recover the car. Hmm.
Anyway, if you can suspend belief from time to time, this is a quite enjoyable study of young adult relationships, set in a picturesque region of Germany.
An overly-theatrical film that deals with its main theme very cheaply
aerovolo26 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The film focuses on Leon, who is a bitter, arrogant, self-obsessed and egotistical writer. Ostensibly, the story is about him realising, or his need to realise, that the world isn't about him. However, the unremarkable cinematography and acting aside, the way that they went around exploring this was very shallow and disappointing. Resorting to making his editor have cancer, or killing off his two friends, and revealing these exclusively while he is on a egotistical monologue or rant, makes the story feel like it was written by someone who still doesn't understand what compassion and letting go of egotism means in real-life terms, and can only process it in terms of these overly dramatic revelations.
"Oh, I was just confronting my love interest for not answering a question I didn't ask, and my editor starts having a heart attack."
"Oh, I was just confronting my love interest for gossiping behind me, turns out she was talking about my editor's cancer which I didn't know about."
"Oh, I was just confessing my love to my love interest, and I am interrupted by the police who brings the news of my friends' death."
"Wow, maybe there are other people in life!"
One shouldn't need disease and death to realise they are not the centre of the world. True compassion is when you can see, understand and practice it in the mundanity of regular life, and it seemed like the film didn't really have a comprehension of that, and it completely fails to explore letting go of self-centredness in any way that would leave the audience with a piece of humanly wisdom. Instead, we're left with an overly-theatrical film that comes across as it was written by a teenager in an English class.
I found it really hilarious that even after all of these dramatic revelations, Leon's first course of action is to turn these events into a novel, which is so ironic in a film about letting go of one's self-obsession.
"Oh, I was just confronting my love interest for not answering a question I didn't ask, and my editor starts having a heart attack."
"Oh, I was just confronting my love interest for gossiping behind me, turns out she was talking about my editor's cancer which I didn't know about."
"Oh, I was just confessing my love to my love interest, and I am interrupted by the police who brings the news of my friends' death."
"Wow, maybe there are other people in life!"
One shouldn't need disease and death to realise they are not the centre of the world. True compassion is when you can see, understand and practice it in the mundanity of regular life, and it seemed like the film didn't really have a comprehension of that, and it completely fails to explore letting go of self-centredness in any way that would leave the audience with a piece of humanly wisdom. Instead, we're left with an overly-theatrical film that comes across as it was written by a teenager in an English class.
I found it really hilarious that even after all of these dramatic revelations, Leon's first course of action is to turn these events into a novel, which is so ironic in a film about letting go of one's self-obsession.
Not a convincing plot!!
li09044262 April 2024
The movie "Afire" centers on the story of two close young friends, Leon and Felix, who opt to retreat to a holiday home by the Baltic Sea during a scorching hot summer. Upon arrival, they encounter Nadja, who is already renting the property.
The primary issue with the film lies in its casting choices, particularly evident in the portrayal of the young writer Leon by Thomas Schubert. Schubert's youthful appearance doesn't quite fit the character, resulting in a sense of disconnection throughout the movie. Another aspect that falls short is the credibility of the friendship between the two protagonists, Leon and Felix, who are complete opposites. Their personality differences - with Leon being serious and pessimistic while Felix is cheerful - make it challenging to believe in the authenticity of their bond.
The introduction of Nadja, portrayed by Paula Beer, and Devid, portrayed by Enno Trebs, serves to further delineate the personalities of Leon and Felix with better clarity.
The movie has highs and lows, with director Christian Petzold crafting a somewhat unconvincing narrative.
The primary issue with the film lies in its casting choices, particularly evident in the portrayal of the young writer Leon by Thomas Schubert. Schubert's youthful appearance doesn't quite fit the character, resulting in a sense of disconnection throughout the movie. Another aspect that falls short is the credibility of the friendship between the two protagonists, Leon and Felix, who are complete opposites. Their personality differences - with Leon being serious and pessimistic while Felix is cheerful - make it challenging to believe in the authenticity of their bond.
The introduction of Nadja, portrayed by Paula Beer, and Devid, portrayed by Enno Trebs, serves to further delineate the personalities of Leon and Felix with better clarity.
The movie has highs and lows, with director Christian Petzold crafting a somewhat unconvincing narrative.
This quiet character study is surely one of the best films of the year.
MOscarbradley2 May 2024
Warning: Spoilers
I still tend to think of Christian Petzold as a 'new' director though he has made 10 feature films in the past 23 years. German born, you might say he's an art-house director who makes commercial films or at least films that are accessible to a commercial audience but which are intelligent and more cerebral than anything you are likely to see in your average multiplex.
"Afire" begins and remains something of a chamber piece as holiday-makers Leon, (a superbly sullen Thomas Schubert), and Felix, (Langston Uibel), are forced to share their holiday home in a forest on the coast with Nadja, (Paula Beer), a friend of the owner who happens to be Felix's mother. Initially not a lot happens as the two men bicker over work assignments, (Thomas is a writer and Felix is a photographer), and household chores while Nadja is having rather loud sex in an adjoining room while the forest fires that have been plaguing the area move closer.
Petzold's genius is for taking the banalities of everyday life and building them into a series of little dramas helped considerably by the brilliant performances of his small cast and by not giving too much away. Are Leon and Felix lovers or just very good friends and who is Nadja and why is she even there and is Devid, (Enno Trebs from "The White Ribbon"), Nadja's summer fling or something more?
Petzold only lets us get to know his characters gradually just like we might get to know them in life and they turn out to be affectionate and funny people in what is really an affectionate and funny film but also a very sad one. Life may deal us a bad hand but we make the most of it just like the people in Petzold's lovely, if ultimately tragic, new film.
"Afire" begins and remains something of a chamber piece as holiday-makers Leon, (a superbly sullen Thomas Schubert), and Felix, (Langston Uibel), are forced to share their holiday home in a forest on the coast with Nadja, (Paula Beer), a friend of the owner who happens to be Felix's mother. Initially not a lot happens as the two men bicker over work assignments, (Thomas is a writer and Felix is a photographer), and household chores while Nadja is having rather loud sex in an adjoining room while the forest fires that have been plaguing the area move closer.
Petzold's genius is for taking the banalities of everyday life and building them into a series of little dramas helped considerably by the brilliant performances of his small cast and by not giving too much away. Are Leon and Felix lovers or just very good friends and who is Nadja and why is she even there and is Devid, (Enno Trebs from "The White Ribbon"), Nadja's summer fling or something more?
Petzold only lets us get to know his characters gradually just like we might get to know them in life and they turn out to be affectionate and funny people in what is really an affectionate and funny film but also a very sad one. Life may deal us a bad hand but we make the most of it just like the people in Petzold's lovely, if ultimately tragic, new film.
Study in Artistic Insecurity
evanston_dad8 April 2024
The actor Thomas Schubert deserves much of the credit for making "Afire" work as well as it does.
He plays a self-absorbed, petty, insecure writer who's so myopically obsessed with the book he's writing that he's oblivious to the world around him. In other hands, it would be a big ask of the audience to spend two hours with such a tiring character, especially since he's in virtually every scene of the movie. But Schubert is able to make this character not only tolerable, but relatable. We're all guilty of missing the bigger picture because of our individual preoccupations.
The ending of "Afire" feels a bit overly dramatic. It's like something that would feel right at home in one of those Southern gothic plays by Tennessee Williams or Eugene O'Neill. But I did enjoy the irony of its conclusion -- once our main character starts paying attention to the trauma around him, it's something he uses to write better books.
Grade: A.
He plays a self-absorbed, petty, insecure writer who's so myopically obsessed with the book he's writing that he's oblivious to the world around him. In other hands, it would be a big ask of the audience to spend two hours with such a tiring character, especially since he's in virtually every scene of the movie. But Schubert is able to make this character not only tolerable, but relatable. We're all guilty of missing the bigger picture because of our individual preoccupations.
The ending of "Afire" feels a bit overly dramatic. It's like something that would feel right at home in one of those Southern gothic plays by Tennessee Williams or Eugene O'Neill. But I did enjoy the irony of its conclusion -- once our main character starts paying attention to the trauma around him, it's something he uses to write better books.
Grade: A.
An intriguing slow burner.
av1rup23 January 2024
Literally a slow-burn !!
Picks up pace and turns out to be a really good story having depth, subtlety and character developments despite being only 100 odd minutes long.
It is so easy to assume and present things from a third person's perspective but when it becomes a first person's point of view, things are not the same. This forms the basis of this movie.
Also this has a serious environmental message about negligence and indifference.
Liked how the forest fire becomes the silent unsung element through the course of the story as the relationship between the characters develops and progresses.
Picks up pace and turns out to be a really good story having depth, subtlety and character developments despite being only 100 odd minutes long.
It is so easy to assume and present things from a third person's perspective but when it becomes a first person's point of view, things are not the same. This forms the basis of this movie.
Also this has a serious environmental message about negligence and indifference.
Liked how the forest fire becomes the silent unsung element through the course of the story as the relationship between the characters develops and progresses.
Red Sky
EdgarST2 May 2024
I am not entirely satisfied with "Red Sky" for all that happens after the climax, that is, the moment during the cast's last supper, when Leon learns something he had not imagined about Nadja, something that concerns him and his profession...
However, all the tragedy that follows is also the decrescendo and dénouement of the tale Leon recounts in his next novel. Contrary to some viewers I did enjoy the first 82 minutes very much. The way the various levels of the story are built, due to the dynamics between the five protagonists, as they appear and form several layers of interpretation due to their interaction, is one of the great successes of director Petzold's screenplay. For this reason, the sudden irruption of berserk nature as a kind of sixth character in the last minutes seemed shocking to me. I felt it broke the cohesion, even though imminent danger was always present.
All the time I was wondering if actor Thomas Schubert had to gain weight for the role, because I had only seen him in "Atmen", when he was 18 years old, and he was a slim, handsome young man. He gives a fine, moving performance, as well as the rest of the cast.
However, all the tragedy that follows is also the decrescendo and dénouement of the tale Leon recounts in his next novel. Contrary to some viewers I did enjoy the first 82 minutes very much. The way the various levels of the story are built, due to the dynamics between the five protagonists, as they appear and form several layers of interpretation due to their interaction, is one of the great successes of director Petzold's screenplay. For this reason, the sudden irruption of berserk nature as a kind of sixth character in the last minutes seemed shocking to me. I felt it broke the cohesion, even though imminent danger was always present.
All the time I was wondering if actor Thomas Schubert had to gain weight for the role, because I had only seen him in "Atmen", when he was 18 years old, and he was a slim, handsome young man. He gives a fine, moving performance, as well as the rest of the cast.
A Fading Ember...
Xstal10 October 2023
It's fair to say, there's no inferno or great blaze, and there's a good chance half way through, your eyes might start to glaze, the meandering's quite slow, although there is a subtle glow, but it struggles to compete with perpetual malaise. The perspective needs your mind to persevere, for reflections to emerge and re-adhere, consider landscapes past and present, how they change, evolve and ferment, locking horns with dread, anxiety and fears. The performances are fine, there is intent, although poor Leon is in permanent descent, lacks a flicker and a spark, you wouldn't say he is a lark, one of those people you might call, quite malcontent.
what is the message?
binestern25 October 2023
Great actors, great acting, i like German movies, i am German. But, i don't get the movie at all. I mean what does the movie wants us to tell? What is its message? The movie feels empty, sad and its pace feels way too slow. I watched the full movie and at the end i asked: so what? What did i just watch? And why? Try it and let me know what you think. It just left me speachless and i want to ask petzold if he could explain that movie to me. What did i i wrong watching. Why is it so hard for me to understand the message of the movie and why am i the only one not liking his movie. Try it and let me know what you think.
Boring. Waste of time.
tulipppan15 October 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Boring, boring, boring. I'have expected much more from this director. Good actors, but no story. No wonder, some people left the cinema during the film. At the end comes the drama, but it's not moving at all: SPOILER the two guys die with holding each others arm, but we haven't seen any emotinal scene between them, their relationship started a day ago, with a sex scene. Also another minor actor is affected by a drama, but how can one feel anything towards him when he just appeared a few minutes ago on the screen and we hardly know anything about him? On the whole, big dissapointment. I have no clue what the director wanted to show.
Fire everywhere and nowhere all at once
120watts24 February 2024
The plot is very disorienting. There is a huge deadly forest fire and yet mere minutes away these people are going about their recreational and artistic pursuits without issue. The fire keeps pendulating between being the driving force of the plot and being an ignored inconvenience.
The characters are all mildly uncanny. If there is an artistic message in their personae then it must have been too esoteric for me to pick up while watching.
The storyline felt like it may have been a symbol for the ideation of the film. Keep writing literary nonsense while being an unlikeable detached egotist until you finally chance upon something passable... Unfortunately, the protagonist is so egotistical that when he tries self reflection he actually somehow becomes more egotistical! So I have to confess bewilderment at what the message is supposed to be.
The characters are all mildly uncanny. If there is an artistic message in their personae then it must have been too esoteric for me to pick up while watching.
The storyline felt like it may have been a symbol for the ideation of the film. Keep writing literary nonsense while being an unlikeable detached egotist until you finally chance upon something passable... Unfortunately, the protagonist is so egotistical that when he tries self reflection he actually somehow becomes more egotistical! So I have to confess bewilderment at what the message is supposed to be.
A cowardly white heterosexual misogynist and homophobe full of sexist prejudices and lacking any talent whatsoever threatens the world with environmental destruction
b_velkova20 January 2024
Two young men, one black, one white, are driving to a cabin in the woods among boar cries - wild fires are raging in the area. This environmentally alarming atmosphere will be the essence of this movie; a lovely canvas for killing of an ego and also - the perfect reason for it. Naturally, we will be killing the white man's ego who, with his neurotic behavior while immersed in the good mother nature, looses the viewer's sympathy already during these first frames. Next, the guys get into a playful fight for no good reason, but from the looks they exchange while their bodies rub, we understand that the colored person is also gay. Aside from deepening the political cliche in which the movie will be set, this scene is a sign for the cumbersome way it will be communicating its ideas.
Already at the house, the guys are informed that they will be sharing it with another guest - Nadja - so, for some unknown reason, they hide in their room till the next morning, while a wild sex scene takes place next door. Actually, I know why - this way we add yet another unsympathetic trait to the image of the cowardly white heterosexual male, and namely homophobia, seen in his unwillingness to share a bedroom with the gay man. Also, the situation presents an opportunity to create a mystery atmosphere around the next cliche character to be introduced - that of the fatal free spirited woman - and make her desired even before she's seen. The next morning she herself appears in the garden, dressed in a fiery red dress (yet another thing that's afire, how profound), hangs the sheets from the previous evening in the breeze and the cowardly white homophobe is already drooling.
The third positively depicted character against whom we will be judging the cowardly white drooling homophobe is the man who spends the night with the hippie - a bisexual lifeguard. The two men, of course, confront each other for the alpha role in the group and although the lifeguard defends his application with a cheesy sex story at the edge of vulgarity, the social sanction once again decides against the cowardly white drooling homophobe. And here, we've already gathered three characters who don't bring to the situation any contradictions of their own, but only serve as a blank - and exemplary - decor for the destruction of the protagonist's toxic ego. Women, bisexuals, and gays are having fun in a spirit of goodwill and free love, only heterosexual men stand grumpily aside pretending they are something more.
Without any grounds, of course. The cowardly white drooling homophobe - whose name, Leon, is spot on for someone who sees themselves as superior to other living beings - is just a mediocre writer. If not for another reason, but because his writing mirrors his toxic life views. In his novel's draft we read about a foul-smelling baby who ruins a love moment and thus understand that he's also a misogynist who values only the pleasant sides of his relations with women. His attempts to guess the baby's sex by the color of its blanket shows him as full of sexist prejudices too. And so on and so forth. Every scene that follows only adds further dark shades to his image till in the end you almost suffocate from the dirt - exactly like the wild fires gradually extinguish all the oxygen from the forest...
What should happen, so that all Leons in the world finally realize the enormity of the threat ablazing the sky before our very eyes, while they only worry about their stupid egos, penises, and great deeds? - asks the director heatedly like a little pioneer before his comrades and for his uninspired answer the jury at the Berlinale festival, a forum more politically biased even than the Oscars, gives him the Silver Bear. The year is 2023.
Already at the house, the guys are informed that they will be sharing it with another guest - Nadja - so, for some unknown reason, they hide in their room till the next morning, while a wild sex scene takes place next door. Actually, I know why - this way we add yet another unsympathetic trait to the image of the cowardly white heterosexual male, and namely homophobia, seen in his unwillingness to share a bedroom with the gay man. Also, the situation presents an opportunity to create a mystery atmosphere around the next cliche character to be introduced - that of the fatal free spirited woman - and make her desired even before she's seen. The next morning she herself appears in the garden, dressed in a fiery red dress (yet another thing that's afire, how profound), hangs the sheets from the previous evening in the breeze and the cowardly white homophobe is already drooling.
The third positively depicted character against whom we will be judging the cowardly white drooling homophobe is the man who spends the night with the hippie - a bisexual lifeguard. The two men, of course, confront each other for the alpha role in the group and although the lifeguard defends his application with a cheesy sex story at the edge of vulgarity, the social sanction once again decides against the cowardly white drooling homophobe. And here, we've already gathered three characters who don't bring to the situation any contradictions of their own, but only serve as a blank - and exemplary - decor for the destruction of the protagonist's toxic ego. Women, bisexuals, and gays are having fun in a spirit of goodwill and free love, only heterosexual men stand grumpily aside pretending they are something more.
Without any grounds, of course. The cowardly white drooling homophobe - whose name, Leon, is spot on for someone who sees themselves as superior to other living beings - is just a mediocre writer. If not for another reason, but because his writing mirrors his toxic life views. In his novel's draft we read about a foul-smelling baby who ruins a love moment and thus understand that he's also a misogynist who values only the pleasant sides of his relations with women. His attempts to guess the baby's sex by the color of its blanket shows him as full of sexist prejudices too. And so on and so forth. Every scene that follows only adds further dark shades to his image till in the end you almost suffocate from the dirt - exactly like the wild fires gradually extinguish all the oxygen from the forest...
What should happen, so that all Leons in the world finally realize the enormity of the threat ablazing the sky before our very eyes, while they only worry about their stupid egos, penises, and great deeds? - asks the director heatedly like a little pioneer before his comrades and for his uninspired answer the jury at the Berlinale festival, a forum more politically biased even than the Oscars, gives him the Silver Bear. The year is 2023.
Oh So Close
johnseegers7 December 2023
This is a current offering on Criterion. I saw the "award winning" and was intrigued. For a film not coming out of Hollywood/US it has every fatal flaw of a Hollywood movie. I can't think of a story line more played out than this one. I'm not doing any spoilers so not much more to say. I kept hoping for an ending that came and then when it did it was overridden by what I might think was an add-on. Such a shame. This is a current offering on Criterion. I saw the "award winning" and was intrigued. For a film not coming out of Hollywood/US it has every fatal flaw of a Hollywood movie. I can't think of a story line more played out than this one. I'm not doing any spoilers so not much more to say. I kept hoping for an ending that came and then when it did it was overridden by what I might think was an add-on. Such a shame.
Petzold's latest in a Rohmer mood
gortx20 January 2024
Director Christian Petzold (PHOENIX, TRANSIT) appears to be in a slightly different mode at first with his latest, AFIRE. Four people gather at a seemingly idyllic summer retreat in the Baltics.
The home is owned by the family of Felix (Langston Uibel). He and his friend Leon (Thomas Schubert) discover that a young woman has sublet a bedroom as well, Nadja (played by Petzhold regular, Paula Beer). A local lifeguard Deved (Enno Trebs) completes the quartet. Leon is there to work on a rewrite of his novel, while Felix is completing a portfolio of photographs.
Petzold has said that he found inspiration in the work of Eric Rohmer and one can certainly see the influence as the characters go through their paces and engage in barbed conversations and behaviors. The original German title translates roughly as 'Red Skies' and refers to the crimson glow from nearby forest fires in the region.
Petzold's script takes a bit to come into focus and is impeded by the character of Leon, a petulant sort who is neither sympathetic nor particular interesting for much of the action. Schubert's performance similarly is off-putting at first and never quite makes him worthy of much investment. Fortunately, Beer is her dependable self and keeps the film moving along, all the while revealing layers of her character. Uibel and Trebs are fine as is Matthias Brandt as Leon's literary editor.
AFIRE has an appropriate denouement (if a bit on the nose) and Petzhold delivers one last mischievous wink to the viewer.
The home is owned by the family of Felix (Langston Uibel). He and his friend Leon (Thomas Schubert) discover that a young woman has sublet a bedroom as well, Nadja (played by Petzhold regular, Paula Beer). A local lifeguard Deved (Enno Trebs) completes the quartet. Leon is there to work on a rewrite of his novel, while Felix is completing a portfolio of photographs.
Petzold has said that he found inspiration in the work of Eric Rohmer and one can certainly see the influence as the characters go through their paces and engage in barbed conversations and behaviors. The original German title translates roughly as 'Red Skies' and refers to the crimson glow from nearby forest fires in the region.
Petzold's script takes a bit to come into focus and is impeded by the character of Leon, a petulant sort who is neither sympathetic nor particular interesting for much of the action. Schubert's performance similarly is off-putting at first and never quite makes him worthy of much investment. Fortunately, Beer is her dependable self and keeps the film moving along, all the while revealing layers of her character. Uibel and Trebs are fine as is Matthias Brandt as Leon's literary editor.
AFIRE has an appropriate denouement (if a bit on the nose) and Petzhold delivers one last mischievous wink to the viewer.
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