Summer Storm

Two inseparable friends, Tobi and Achim, lead a small-town rowing crew and believe nothing can shake their bond. They train for a summer camp and a team race that could crown them local champions. The arrival of a gay crew from Berlin unsettles Tobi, forcing him to question his feelings and the meaning of loyalty. As the event nears, hints of attraction and peer pressure hover in the air. Then a sudden storm tears through the town on the eve of the races, turning tension into upheaval and pushing the friends to decide what their relationship should become when the world seems to be watching. The film blends humor with honest emotion.

Directed by Marco Kreuzpaintner from an original screenplay by Thomas Bahmann, Summer Storm premiered in 2004 as a German coming-of-age drama with a light comic touch. The film showcases an intimate, ensemble cast and helped launch Kreuzpaintner's feature career.

Critics praised the evenly observed performances and the balance between humor and vulnerability as the story probes friendship, identity, and the expectations of adolescence. The tension between loyalty to a friend and personal truth gives the film a quiet emotional edge without tipping into cliché.

The movie contributed to LGBT representation in early 2000s German cinema by placing queer themes inside a sports setting and a tight knit community. It remains a notable entry in the era's teen dramas and offers a clear lens on acceptance.