The German short film Der Sprung/The Jump (1999) relates the story of the friendship between two German boys, put to the test when they become victims of local bullies. Will they stand up for each other? Can they get it back…or will the desire of the day to be on the side of the strong prevail? This is a tale about friendship and the courage to conquer one’s own fears…
While the story told in Der Sprung is by no means an original one (I have seen similar themes in at least a dozen shorts – the Norwegian Benny`s Gym being the best of them), the film is well worth seeing for its cinematography. The first thing that made an impression on me was the focus and the colors: warm, pastel like – so that one can almost feel the heat of the summer. The usage of a variety of shooting angles added true dimension to the picture. Although this film was released in 1999, the photography gives a vintage feel for the film – a good choice for a Coming-of-Age flick.
To be fair, the acting of the young cast felt a bit insincere as the dialogue was delivered with too little emotion. The soundtrack also felt a bit cheesy, even if it did manage to raise the tension level at the appropriate times.
The Jump was a graduate project of its director, Ferdinand Barth, and can be seen in its entirety at his website.