Modest and tender, While You Are Here is a sensitive tale of the splendor of companionship and affection between the unlikely duo of an elderly man and a quiet hustler.

Behind Georg’s petty bourgeois facade is a man plagued by loneliness and isolation in his claustrophobic home. It is only through his appointments with quiet young Sebastian that he breaks through his hermit-like existence and bathes in a few fleeting moments of contentment.

Engulfed by love for his young paramour, Georg gets his wish one evening as Sebastian agrees to stay the night. But it is tragedy that keeps him by Georg’s side, and Georg fears he will lose his companion forever. With a delicate touch, filmmaker Stefan Westerwelle steers clear of hustler film stereotypes and instead subtly lets the characters of Georg and Sebastian unfold via their small, touching interactions.

Westerwelle neatly expands the story of these two men through the film’s other elements—tight, shadowy, and highly detailed cinematography, further accentuated by the mise-en-scene of Georg’s dark and dank home. Through to this compact feature’s end, the audience voyeuristically peeks into the duo’s intimate world and can’t help but be pleased to have shared in their story.

ADMISSION:  $10 non-member / $8 members