Ein Weg

In a tranquil town in Thuringia, two men have been in a relationship for over 15 years. After their son Max leaves home, they decide to travel together to the Baltic Sea in November – a ritual they have been keeping for years. But this time the mood is gloomy: while one of them finds the rough sea liberating, the other longs for the security of home. The different expectations of the vacation reveal the creeping alienation that has crept into their relationship over the years. Flashbacks show the ups and downs of their partnership – from the first time they met to shared challenges and moments of silence and distance. A Way, directed by German filmmaker Chris Miera, is a sensitive relationship drama that highlights the everyday life and routines of a long-term partnership. Using a quasi-documentary narrative style and improvised dialogue, Miera manages to bring out the authenticity and depth of the characters. The leads are played by Mike Hoffmann (Andreas) and Mathis Reinhardt (Martin), who portray the nuances of a long-term relationship with great intensity. A WAY celebrated its world premiere in 2017 at the Berlinale in the “Perspektive Deutsches Kino” section. The film was praised for its realistic portrayal of a homosexual relationship and its unpretentious staging. It was considered for the 2018 German Film Critics' Prize in the category “Best Feature Film Debut”, which underlines the quality and relevance of this debut film.