Der Felsen (A Map of the Heart)

Invited to compete at the Berlinale, Dominik Graf’s Der Felsen (A Map of the Heart) features a stellar performance by Karoline Eichhorn, who as 30-year-old Katrin is prominent in nearly every scene. She »carries« the film effortlessly in a role that requires a good measure of tact and ambivalence: a draughtswoman at an architectural company, she’s on Corsica with her married lover while he’s attending a conference. When they discover by phone that his wife is expecting a baby, the »business holiday« is interrupted on the spot. He decides to return home. She stays on the island, goes into a headspin, and loses contact with reality. The digital camera technique lends itself aptly to portray her dilemma: pans and sweeps and zooms chronicle her descent into delirium. One fears for Katrin when she is threatened by a gang of youths, just as one dreads her decision to sleep with two legionaires after a drinking binge to forget her troubles.

       The story picks up on pace and gravity when Katrin meets Malte (Antonio Wannek), a teenage delinquent, who has been sent to the island with his younger brother to be rehabilitated at a working camp. Malte, an impulsive youth, is captivated by Katrin. She, in turn, is fascinated by his willful ways and brash ploys to attract her attention. But when the camp director (Peter Lohmeyer) places obstacles in the way of an innocent rendezvous, this leads to a breakout with the camp director and police in hot pursuit. All three ­ Katrin, Malte, and the younger brother Kai (Sebastian Urzendowsky) ­ then head for the mountains, the setting for the final confrontation. As if caught in a maelstrom, the pair are ripped free of reality and dragged to a mutual breakdown. Malte is the fiery loser, while at the end Katrin and Kai hold to each other in a show of commitment.

       Graf depicts a »holiday paradise« that’s anything but the idyllic landscape seen on advertising posters. Rather, he shows how the same vacation backdrop can easily degenerate into a hell-hole. Dominik Graf received a Lola Nomination for Best Director, Karoline Eichhorn another for Best Actress, and young talent Antonio Wannek a third for Best Actor ­ indeed, the entire cast in A Map of the Heart is tops, as is cameraman Benedict Neuenfels. Even the film’s off-camera commentary didn’t bother me in the least. Thumbs up, Dominik!

Dorothea Moritz

Der Felsen (A Map of the Heart). Germany, 2001. Medien & Television München. Prod Gloria Burkert. Co-Prod Uli Limmer, Thilo Kleine, Michael Weber. Dir Dominik Graf. Scr Markus Busch, Dominik Graf. Cam Benedict Neuenfels. Ed Hana Müllner. Set Claus-Jürgen Pfeiffer. Mus Dieter Schleip. Cast Karoline Eichhorn (Katrin), Antonio Wannek (Malte), Sebastian Urzendowsky (Kai), Ralph Herforth (Jürgen), Peter Lohmeyer (Robert). 116 mins, color, 35mm, Dolby SR.