Emmanuelle, a French singer, knew what she said when she sang (in translation) "It is not forgotten, when it's the very first time". She was referring to the first kiss. Despite being made a decade later, in a different country, "Das Jahr der ersten Küsse" shows that too. In this case, that kiss is just the occasion to do a little tour of Germany in the 80's, as experienced by a group of teenagers.
The protagonist, and narrator of the story is 15 year-old Tristan. Everything in his life is going well; he has a group of friends, all of them loving in their way, and his parents have no troubles in their relationship. All this changes when they start arguing, and, as if of a sudden, they decide to divorce. Tristan is devastated. Not only has he to leave his neighborhood in order to live with his mother, but he still hasn't managed to kiss his crush, Kerstin. Knowing that he has no time left, he puts all his effort to make this teenage dream come true.
If this sounds innocent, don't be fooled. Teenage enthusiasm runs rampant in this coming-of-age film, with the teens experimenting with drugs, and having their first albeit mild, sexual experiences. Still, this is no reason for one to be turned off. The film offers an extremely realistic portrayal of teenage behaviour, that is, a mix of childishness and relevant maturity. The friends support each other, especially the one who comes from an abusive household. It is though them that she can find joy. Instead of the quite ironic view on teenagers that other films offer, this one doesn't try at all to teach moral lessons. It promotes carelessness and happiness, these two being maybe the most important characteristics of teenage psychology.
The age in which this film takes place was also one of carelessness. And it was shown with detail during the film. The atmosphere of the era comes off from every aspect of the film. Tristan has wallpapers of stars in his room from the famous teen magazine BRAVO, then one of the most pioneering publications related to teenagers. The friends organise parties where they dance slows, like their favourite movie characters from "La Boum". Opus's "Live is life" plays, as Tristan enters the party room. Aerobic shows play on TV, and Tristan's mum follows the moves of the presenter. The teenagers go to dance school, it being one of the most popular extracurricular activities in which their parents sent them, wanting them to find their hidden talents.
Most importantly, the feeling of freedom that characterised this time exists. For all the problems around them, the heroes continue living their lives as if there's no tomorrow. Not yet affected from the environmental tragedies of the late 80's, - the movie takes place in 1985- they have no worries, and spend their days wondering how to win each other's hearts.
Friendship is everything for these heroes. For, they live in a time where the only way to communicate is through letters, and in some cases, the telephone. This is why when Tristan leaves for his new home, we can't but feel pity for him. We can't but think that he was born a little too early. Now, distance friendships can be kept more easily. Or so it seems. But can this age of of constant anxiety be compared with Tristan's one, the one of nostalgia, the one of innocence? It depends. But this film provides a portrait of this age that mostly emphasizes the positive elements, and through them, constructs an image that partly fails to recognise the negative aspects. We mustn't forget that the heroes lived through the Cold War.
It seems as if they forgot that. As if this wasn't their business. For them, what was important was to cherish the moments of happiness stemming from the fact that they were teenagers. This was the generation that would later elevate their age to the reputation it enjoys today. For, aside from the amazing films, the unforgettable TV shows, and the legendary magazines, this when they also had one of the most significant experiences of teenage life.
The first kiss.
