Männer wie wir

Balls
Ecki works as a baker in the family business of his parents in the industrial West German village of Boldrup, but his heart belongs to football. For years he has sparkled as goalie for the hometown soccer team FC Boldrup. But on a single day his world collapses: first he ruins the chances of his team to move up into the regional league, and then to everyone′s – and his own – surprise he is outed as gay and thrown out the club. That is more than Ecki can stand for and he demands revenge. He challenges his former team to a match in four weeks with a team he will put together – made up of gay players. With no little difficulty and the help of his sister he manages to scour the dives of the big city of Dortmund and find the Magnificent Eleven, a motley crew of would-be athletes who at first appear to know little about football. But with the help of the grumpy, homophobic ex-professional kicker Karl they grow into a united squad that can take on any team of "normal" players.

With "Balls" Sherry Hormann has created a feel-good comedy that skillfully confronts prejudice against homosexuality. As the virgin gay Ecki, stage actor Maximilian Brückner demonstrates in his first film role the necessary innocence to fit the part and at the same time the strength to dispel the clichés about gays. A heartstring-tugging comedy about friendship, respect for the individual, and the courage to be different.

Source: 55. Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin (Catalogue)