Fuck it's been good.
I've also launched into my own mini queer film festival, catching up on a couple of DVD's I recently ordered through Amazon, as well as Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which I picked up on DVD on the weekend as a consequence of having seen the stage play recently.
It was Donald who urged me to watch the DVD of Hedwig, specifically because of the feature-length 'history of Hedwig' doco that's one of the extras on the disc. Whoooooooo! Talk about excellent - it adds so much more to the film, and having already loved the show, learning more about it was an utter delight. Thanks for the tip, mate.
So last night, having watched the doco, I watched the film again too, this time with a new eye for details such as the Titanic mural that's in the background in one scene, and the Riverview Hotel t-shirt Tommy Gnosis is wearing in another. Yay! I also sang drunkenly along to several scenes, having consumed two-thirds of a bottle of red by that stage...
Tonight though, it was time to get French.
First cab off the rank was Grande Ecole, directed by documentarian Robert Salis.

Paul's strong-minded girlfriend Agnes (Alice Taglioni) begins to suspect Paul's interest in Louis-Arnault is more than a simple friendship, and challenges him to see who can seduce the young man first. Paul declines the wager, but is in love with Louis-Arnault all the same, but also becomes involved with the handsom Mecir (Salim Kechiouche) who is not only a Muslim Arab, but working class as well.
This drama about bisexual love and lust set among the youthful French elite was, quite frankly, a little dull. While aspiring to explore gender and class dynamics, it fell well short of any real insights, and also failed to develop dramatic tension or a vibrant style, though the constant parade of naked flesh kept me vaguely interested (though not enough - several times I paused the film to check my e-mails; it was only grim determination that made me watch the film through to the end of its 110 minutes). Overly talky, and under-developed, frankly I don;t recommend it at all.
Next up was Christian Faure's Just a Question of Love, originally a French TV movie, nut which went on to become lauded on the gay and lesbian film festival circuit. It's a surprisingly fresh take on the tired coming-out genre.

Laurent (Cyrille Thouvenin) is a gay university student in mourning for his cousin and friend, also gay, who was abandoned by their family on coming out. Consequently he uses his best friend and flatmate Carole (Caroline Veyt) to help him maintain an illusion of heterosexuality, despite knowing that deep down she is really in love with him.
Things go awry when Laurent meets the handsome Cedric (Stephan Guerin-Tillie) and his acceptinging and loving mother Emma (Eva Darlin). When they fall in love it creates complications for both men, who are unsure how to handle each other given their different circumstances. Cedric pushes Laurent to tell his family he is gay, but Laurent is (correctly) afraid that if he does come out, his parents will never accept him or his choice. One man fears the consequences, and the other fears it will hold their relationship at a standstill.
Although some of the supporting characters are simplistically drawn, the story never descends into melodrama, and neither Cedric or Laurent are presented as perfect. Their flaws drew me further into the story, and at one point had me in frustrated tears, wishing that one or the other could just bite the bullet and say 'J'taime' ('I love you'). Of course when they did, I burst into sobs.
Overall the film is well acted, with a strong script and surehanded direction that avoids bathos and melodrama. Recommended.
4 comments:
Glad you loved the Hedwig doco! It really does stand by itself as a great film.
I am hanging out (so to speak) for Shortbus. I wonder if it will make it to Perth?!
An excellent French gay film is 'Ma Vrai Vie a Rouen', shot from the point of view of a teenager who's been given a video camera for his birthday.
Ah, "My Life on Ice' - yes, I saw that at MIFF a couple of years ago and loved it. Thanks for reminding me of it, Dan - I may have to put in another Amazon order...
Oh good, I just ordered "Juste Une Question d'Amour", so it looks like I can reserve a quiet evening to enjoy the film...
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