Swarm

12-year-old Leon would do anything to belong to a group of boys from his school. While seeking for attention, he gets into a conflict with the ruthless leader Ecke. He dares him to shoot a bird with an airgun to be accepted as a full member.

  • Eugen Merher
    Director
  • Sebastian Klauke
    Writer
  • Ernst Lattik
    Producer
  • Franz Böhm
    Producer
  • Benedikt Merath
    Key Cast
  • Jonas Brichzin
    Key Cast
  • Fabio Litto
    Key Cast
  • Marko Budja
    Key Cast
  • Maximilian Pittner
    Director of Photography
  • Elena Schmidt
    Editor
  • Marcus Fass
    Sounddesign
  • Alexander Wolf David
    Music
  • Anna Ziener
    Production Design
  • Laura Bader
    Costume Designer
  • Tim Markgraf
    VFX
  • Eddy Hohf
    VFX
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Schwarm
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, Coming of Age
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes 51 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 5, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    3,500 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Germany
  • Country of Filming:
    Germany
  • Language:
    German
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2,67:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes
Director Biography - Eugen Merher

Eugen Merher was born October 24th 1990 in Chisinau, Moldova and
moved to Germany when he was six years old. At that time he
discovered his passion for filmmaking with his parents' DV camera
that he used for cheap action flicks with his friends. After high
school he started studying communication science at the
University of Hohenheim and the University of Oregon, before
moving on to become a commercial director at the Filmacademy
Baden-Wuerttemberg in 2014.

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Director Statement

Swarm is a very personal coming-of-age story. Coming of age is one of the most important and universal processes in my opinion, because it relates to everyone and encompasses every age. I want to tell the story of a boy who makes a mistake out of a childish reaction, but gets a second chance to make up for it. That second chance is also his opportunity to mature. I asked myself why it has to be a kid that needs to undergo this story. I think that the film needs to convey the realistic feeling, that it’s actually very hard to take the responsibility for something, no matter your age. Leon has to decide between relieving the bird from the suffering he caused or simply leaving it behind. By finishing what he started, even if it’s harsh, he takes the responsibility for his act. And I think this is something that makes Swarm an authentic coming-of-age story: You can’t mature without having blood on your hands.