CENTRE OF MY WORLD

Germany, 2016, 115 minutes, Colour.
Louis Hoffman, Jannik Schumann, Ada Philine Stappenbeck, Sabine Timoteo, Bendix Hansen, Sarah Fuhrer.
Directed by Jakob M Erwa.

A film about young adults, their background and family influences, relationships, sexual orientation, confusion and complexities.

The story focuses on a young man, Phil, who encounters another young man, Nicholas, who becomes the centre of his world. The film provides quite some background about Phil and his dysfunctional family, his mother and her many relationships. Expectations are put on him.

Nicholas is a fellow student and they become involved. There are also two young women whom the young men encounter leading to complex relationships, sexual encounters, disillusionment and challenge for Phil.

These universal issues are explored in a German context.


1. A film about family, dysfunctional, siblings, erratic mother, growing up, sexual orientation, consequences?

2. The title, the focus on Phil, as a little boy, his relationship with his sister, his mother and her range of boyfriends, their needing a father, Kyle and the hopes, Glass and her driving the men away? The bonding between brother and sister?

3. The focus on Phil, adolescent, at school, at home, with his sister, his friendship with Cat, his sexual orientation, memories of the past, the encounter with Nicholas at the
supermarket? His mother being aware? Supportive? His sister?

4. The structure of the film, Phil an adolescent and his issues, the continued flashbacks into the past, the portrait of Glass, the images of the brother and sister, their love, dependence, clashes?

5. Glass, her background, erratic, relationships, the new relationship and Phil bonding, their working together, jobs? A father figure? His having to deal with Glass?

6. Nicholas coming on to Glass, Phil and his infatuation, the later meetings, Nicholas and his setting up situations, Phil and his response? The effect on him?

7. The sexual encounters, the effect on Phil, some kind of love and fulfilment?

8. His introducing Cat, the threesome, time together? Phil and the occasions of meeting with Nichols, the sexual encounters and the effect?

9. Phil, discovering Nicholas with Cat, his shock? The consequences?

10. Nicholas, his character, the touch of the callous, bisexual activity, aware of Phil’s love, but wanting only friendship, sexual occasions, not love?

11. Phil, Nicholas being the centre of his world, the disillusionment, his trying to accept this? His future?