Dante vs. Mohammed Ali
2018, 28 minutes
Marc Wagenaar
“I believe in miracles”
Director-writer Wagenaar takes sensitive viewers into the tough love ring of love. At its most basic level, literal. As the film opens, Wolf (an extraordinarily nuanced performance from Bas Keizer) raises his gloves—and then his verses—for and against Alexander (Gijs Blom, who wisely lets his counterpart carry the film in a different sort of “two-hander”). Family and friends cheer the reluctant combatants on as their match moves along water, staged on a barge (whether heading into Hell, Purgatory or Paradise remains to be seen—are they navigating the river Styx?).
With no clear winner, all bets are off—the two young men clearly having no real appetite for beating the pulp out of each other.
Coincidentally, as I am halfway through Dante’s epic, The Divine Comedy, it’s easy to identify with Wolf, sitting in the bath, recording his unheard love poems to Alex—wonderfully, metaphorically, both “recitals” are interrupted by an unrepentant mother, who instinctively understands her fight-averse son’s love for his opponent.
Wolf’s dad, tries to toughen up his art-inspired son for the rematch, only to reveal his own “feminine” side, savouring the beauty of Handel’s “Ombra Mai Fu,” which thereafter becomes the production’s musical cantus firmus.
The key scene takes place in an after-hours meeting between the two undeclared lovers in a nearby barn. Wolf-Dante bares his soul much to the uncertain reaction from his reluctant (but interested) intended.
From there the action moves through one high and a couple of awkward lows, before everything comes out in the ring.
A heady mix of reality, fantasy, hopes realized or dashed, makes Wagenaar’s emotional tour de force well worth a feature-length encore. JWR
Brick (Steen)
2013, 13 minutes
Viktor van der Valk
“Your body will demand answers”
Life is never simple. Married with baby on the way (yet, still living in father-in-law’s home…), Jeffrey’s (gamely portrayed by Reinout Scholten van Aschat) world turns decidedly upside down when his new co-worker, Kevin (Lourens van den Akker) makes it abundantly clear that he would rather lay alluring ass than solid cement forms.
Valk relies on mostly silent imagery to make his points about the hidden desires of a soon father-to-be floating to the surface—not all of them entirely unwanted.
Act II is eagerly awaited. JWR
South of Heaven
2017, 16 minutes
Marco van Bergen
Unwanted double concerto
Coming home from Amsterdam for his 23 birthday, violinist Elias (moodily portrayed by Tom van Kessel) is unpleasantly surprised by the sudden appearance of his 19-year-old lover and oboist, Jasper (Julian Moon Snijder hits all of the right notes).
Bible-thumping Mom (Tine Joustra, bitterly stoic) and spoiled sibling Mattheus (Milan Boele van Hensbroek, readily a bigot/sexist in training), complete the dysfunctional family circle.
Truly the scripture comes to pass (Jerimiah 12:7 “I will forsake my house, abandon my inheritance; I will give the one I love into the hands of her enemies.”) in a manner that gives all of the “different” amongst us a bit more cause for hope. JWR
Lukas at Sea
2015, 25 minutes
Jordi Wijnalda
If only I knew what it was…
Poor Lukas (a commendable performance from Matthijs van de Sande Bakhuyzen in the title role). Is it online porn sex with an alluring woman; hot shower and, hopefully, fulfilling fuck from a James Dean bar pickup (fellow musician—accordionist, met at random) or his ever-ready down-the-hall mate with breasts that should at least wake up a sleeping giant.
Thanks goodness for dreaming fantasies (of both persuasions) before waking up to an empty bed again—then doing what needs to be done “seul”.
No worries, the tides are still in perpetual motion, just like Lukas’ search for self. JWR
Beautiful Alexander
2019, 13 minutes
Marc Wagenaar
Movement rather than language
This set concludes with a beachside romance in its infancy.
Insecure Alexander (Florian Regtien) along with his talkative bird, set their sites on Russian, Ivan (Dimitar Nikolov).
After much anonymous observing of the fine-looking lifeguard frequently dancing atop his tower with no ocean in sight from which to rescue anyone, Alex finally takes the plunge to confront the barely clothed man of his dreams. With no words in common, their body language takes hold, before a breathing lesson offers the promise of much more meaningful connection on the horizon.
With adept choreography from Johann Rosenberg and the smooth, sultry sounds emanating from Coos Zwagerman’s trumpet interventions, this film is truly worth a look and a listen. JWR