Sergent Major Eismayer

After the last scene of this movie, my first feeling was: an interesting gay-themed feel-good story, but too farfetched and unrealistic! Until a closing text proved me totally wrong: it's based on true events, both original main characters are still happily married, and before the closing credits they even showed a picture of this unlikely but radiant couple on their wedding day!

It's already a fascinating story as it is, without the hindsight knowledge. In the Austrian army, at the end of the 90's, being gay is not so much a taboo, but still considered to be less masculine and the focus of ridicule. It's hard enough for young gay recruit Falak to hold his own, but his superior, closeted major Eismayer, has to hide himself behind a mask of extreme sterness, all the time raging and shouting, and bullying all his inferiors. Gradually however a surprising secret love-affair between the two unfolds. What remains as a major barrier, is the fear of Eismayer to out himself to his army-unit.

I guess the story is here and there slightly romanticized for the sake of the movie and the entertainment value. For who's interested: on wikipedia you can find some really enlightening background material, among other things an extensive article in an Austrian newspaper, dated 2014, with an interview with both men on account of their recent marriage. This article was by the way the source that triggered director David Wagner's interest in making this film.

The settings in the army barracks, the military drills and the field exercises are totally authentic (thanks to the support of the Austrian state army), and both main actors Gerhard Liebmann and Luka Dimic do a great job, especially Liebmann's part as the raging Eismayer must have been a real tour de force. Cinematographically this movie may be not very inventive or impressive; but as a well acted, uplifting story of how love can blossom even in the most unexpected circumstances it's totally rewarding!

This very short, but absorbing, film about a gay relationship between an older Lieutenant and a young recruit in the Austrian military Is a tough one to wrap your head around as being a true story. But it is! With photos to prove it! While it may be true that these two met and fell in love while in the armed forces together, I still find it hard to believe that it went down the way portrayed here, especially a very key scene near the end. I've no way of knowing if this actually happened the way it's depicted here, but it is a hard pill to swallow. However, I've never lived in Austria, so I will just hope that things are this easy for gay men in that country. It's sort of typical in structure with a hardnosed commander testing newbies with an onslaught of derogatory and threatening talk, though we've seen a lot worse in films such as Full Metal Jacket. It's a simple enough story on paper, perhaps too simple. We see their life on a military base, we see them fall in love and the deterioration of the Lieutenant's marriage. It's rather slight, but nevertheless it does hold your attention for those 87 minutes, including opening and closing credits. The two actors, Gerhard Liebmann in the title role and Luka Dimic as his young love, aren't going to win Oscars, but they are both good. Ditto the film.

When a closeted lieutenant eismayer falls for an openly gay soldier falak, he isn't sure what comes next. The first half of the film is strutting and play, between the lieutenant and the recruit. But eismayer and his wife finally have a moment of understanding. And when a health issue takes center stage, how will that affect everyone? Can falak and eismayer ever really have a relationship? One is old school, and has not had experience with the new, modern relationships. It's pretty simplistic, but good. Written and directed by david wagner. Has won a bunch of film fest awards. Filmed in austria and germany, acc to imdb.

It takes balls to make a movie about a gay couple in the Austrian army knowing that it's such a niche audience.

It takes even bigger balls to do what Eismayer did. In real life.

And it takes the biggest balls ever to be Mario Falak. To live openly as a gay man in the Austrian military at that time.

Respect to all!

Now, about the movie. Well... nothing special to be honest. Very low budget. Very bare bones, minimalistic production. Nothing fancy here. It's just good! After all, it's the story that matters the most, not the production.

However, as others have pointed out already, the movie leaves a lot of info out. We don't get to see how the two men fall in love. One moment they are having sex for the first time, the next thing we know, they are living together and behaving like a couple who's been together for 20 years. It doesn't work that way. It took 43 minutes for the movie to get to the part where they cross that bridge. It shouldn't have.

But these are all pacing and storytelling issues. Can't expect perfection from a small team. I'm just glad that movies like this one are being made, for people like me, who want those kind of stories. And I'm here for it! Considering what they had to work with, I'd say they did a fantastic job.

It's hard to find shows with gay male leads and storylines. So when I came across this film; my attitude was I settle for this . It didn't look like much. It's an indie film, looks low budget, but the characters and storyline kept me glued to the movie. In fact I'd watch it again. During the climax of the movie is where I could not stop smiling.

There's just something indescribably beautiful about the characters the actors and storyline .

Gay love is amazing and beautiful and so were these two. And it's based off of a true story of the two men who are actually still enlisted active duty to this day.

I hope there's more films for us gay men in the future .