Windstorm

Pferdefilme. Irgendwie ist das eine eigene Welt. Ostwind macht da keine Ausnahme und präsentiert alles, was man von so einem Film erwartet. An erster Stelle natürlich Pferde und dann als Hauptfiguren Mädchen die Pferde mögen. Oder wie im Falle der Hauptfigur von Ostwind erst einmal nicht mögen, aber mögen lernen. Dabei schafft es der Film seine Außenseitergeschichte durchaus spannend zu erzählen, wenngleich der Film nach hinten raus ohne große Überraschungen auskommt und manch dramaturgischer Kniff arg aufgesetzt wirkt. Getragen wird der Film sicherlich von der Chemie zwischen Hauptdarstellerin Hanna Binke und dem Pferd Ostwind. Sie schafft es glaubwürdig zu transportieren, dass man von einem Menschen der mit Pferden eigentlich so gar nichts anfangen kann, zu einem Menschen werden kann, der Pferde liebt. Ich bin gespannt, ob die Fortsetzungen dieses Gefühl eines natürlichen Wandels ebenfalls transportieren können. [Sneakfilm.de]

For us Brits familiar with the work in years gone by of the Children's Film Foundation, then this is all fairly familiar family territory. "Mika" (Hannah Binke) is being coralled by her parents into an academic education - in molecular physics - in which she has zilch interest. Showing initial signs of rebellion that border on the criminality, she is duly dispatched by her folks to stay at her grandmother's stud farm for the summer. "Mika" doesn't know one end of an horse from another when she arrives, but thanks to the kindly intervention of stable lad "Sam" (Marvin Linke) and his grandad (Tilo Prückner) she discovers that maybe she does have an infinity with "Windstorm" - a jet black stallion with a white flash on it's forehead and a quite justifiably stroppy approach to anyone who tries to go near him. Her no-nonsense grandmother (Cornelia Froboess) insists that "Sam" keep her granddaughter away from this animal, but Hercules he isn't and so soon he finds himself complicit in the burgeoning friendship between this unlikely pairing and with a competition looming, she enlists the help of his grandpa to teach her the rudiments of showjumping in just four weeks. No, the story arc isn't especially original but that doesn't matter really, it's just one of those "Black Beauty" style of tales that starts with a soupcon of the usual family dysfunction, sneaks in a tiny bit of envy and chagrin and emerges at the other end with no great surprises - except perhaps for "Sam" who ends up with an unwanted bandage on his head. It's messages of resiliance, determination and not letting old grudges fester away are clearly delivered in a way that doesn't overwhelm a simple story and that really just suggests that if we ever do actually find our dream - then we ought to follow it.