The Map Reader

"You can go anywhere in the world, to any place, if you can read a map." Michael has been interested in maps from an early age. He used to puzzle them as a child, others were measured and pointed to the north. Meanwhile, his whole room is full of them. Even the walls are decorated with maps high up to the ceiling. Still now, at the age of 16, they constitute his favourite pastime. After his father left the family many years ago, Michael has lived only with his mother Amelia who cannot cope with the situation and drinks to forget her loneliness. She has never neglected her son, though. Amelia has always loved and cared for her child. Due to her advancing alcoholism, however, she runs the risk of driving her son out. Michael leads an introverted and rather secluded life. He dreams of traveling to distant countries. He watches the adolescent actions of his classmates Simon, Carlo and Kevin with some distance. And then there's 20-year-old Mary living next door. The blind young woman is entirely aware of her effect on the male sex. And she demonstrates this to Michael. But Michael feels a bit more attracted to his classmate Alison. The pretty girl, however, lives with a sad secret. Michael's life seems like a dead end. He must decide what he really wants before his life is falling apart. And so he makes a decision.