(2013, 70 min)
Country: Germany
Director: Tor Iben
Studio: TLA Releasing
Language: German
SYNOPSIS: In The Passenger, a provocative new drama from the director Tor Iben, sexual and moral boundaries are put to the test when a handsome stranger begins to infiltrate the lives of two artists. While searching for a condo in Berlin for his father, Nick meets Philipp, a talented photographer, and Lilli, a gorgeous actress. There is instant chemistry and both are easily seduced by Nick’s charms. Lilli and Philipp begin to explore their relationship with the sexy visitor, succumbing to their passionate affections which intensify their volatile emotional and physical bonds. But what Philipp and Lilli don’t realize is that they are being lured into Nick’s manipulative (and deadly) game of love.
REVIEW:
Tor Iben is a dynamic director that dares to go where others will not. Here we have a handsome stranger who enters the lives of two artists. When he was searching for a place for his father to live in Berlin, Nick met Philipp, a photographer and Lilli, a beautiful actress. Something happens and the three people are drawn to each other immediately. Nick possesses a charm that is impossible to ignore. Soon Lilli and Philipp begin to explore their relationship with Nick and both fall for his feelings and their bond becomes intense. However, neither Lilli nor Philipp realize that they have been pulled into a game of love that is quite deadly.
Nick met Philipp first and moves in with him right away. Then it was through Philipp that he met Lilli and before either could realize it, they developed intimacy that is both mental and physical. The three develop their own world and what goes on outside of it becomes unimportant. Lust is what counts for them and the world loses any significance it might have. What they do not realize is that they have been drawn into a web of intrigue and murder..
Director Tor Iben says that he wanted to make a queer film and not a gay one. Lilli and Philipp are romantically involved when they meet Nick in this love story that becomes a thriller. You might ask what the difference is between gay film and queer film but rather than discuss that here, it is better to watch the film and feel the difference. By telling a gay story with characters that are “not gay” is an interesting experiment. Iben says that he is able to hide the gay elements of the film by first introducing a female character who is a main character and secondly by hiding the relationship between Nick and Philipp. See if you can figure this out..
-- Amos Lassen, Reviews (http://reviewsbyamoslassen.com)
