Unconfessions
2018, 22 minutes
Ana Galizia
“Grab the Handle; Up We Go”
Homage to a family member doesn’t come much better than this. Using a slew of photo montages (remarkably honest, seldom erotic even in the nudity), niece Ana, paints a compelling portrait of her flamboyant, talented uncle, Luis, with a maturity that must be in the genes.
Born in São Paulo in 1951, the aspiring actor (after being recommended for psychiatric observation…), found a much more accepting, vibrant life after moving to gay-friendly San Francisco. Correspondence with “friend” Peter, adds to the account of coming to terms with men loving men.
Sadly, not surprisingly in the early days of the AIDS pandemic, the blossoming star proved unable to stand against the virus, leaving everyone too early in 1985.
The music tracks are as varied as Louis’ roles—ranging from a marvellously “draggy” “Mack the Knife” sequence, to a few soothing helpings of disco.
With our own current pandemic showing few signs of abating, it’s instructive to take a gander at this film and realize than if HIV-AIDS can be controlled, so can COVID. JWR
Just Out of Reach
1998, 4 minutes
Jonathan Wald
A different sort of wakeup call
Waking up with your “Daddy” can have a variety of results. In this instance, younger (Swarthy looking Steve Connell), opts to try and slink away, only to be—literally—alarmed by elder (sage-to-his-bones ([and duvet) ] Tom Fitzpatrick) who is nobody’s fool—not even his own. JWR
Toto Forever
2009, 14 minutes
Roberto F. Canuto
“I have hope”
Imagine you (Kylan James) meeting the love of your life (Kjord Davis), delivering a package on your regular route. With no answer to the bell, imagine going into the house and finding the love of your life by the pool, brutally beaten. Imagine nursing him back to sexual life only to have the past debt “paid in full” by an uncompromising gangster.
What is to be done?
The original score from Andrea Centazzo is the best part of the production. JWR
Men Don't Cry
2001, 13 minutes
Kyriakos Hatzimihailidis
Whose past is it?
Suppose you went to a gay bar years ago and had bathroom sex with a nubile young hottie—straight to himself—who was only in it for the cash. Years pass, younger is previously infected with HIV, so decides to pay an unwelcome visit to his “inoculator” who, quite understandably, can’t remember one trick amongst dozens.
Who’s to blame; what’s the justice?
Viewers must decide on their own. JWR
Alger La Blanche
1986, 28 minutes
Cyril Collard
What price love?
Here’s a gritty, grainy study of two “probably in love” young men (Farid—Ali Baouche; Jean—Jean Frédéric), who most certainly enjoy their sexual encounters, but is there anything deeper? Lurking in the narrative weeds is Farid’s sister, Nahed (Rachida Chrouki) and his immediate family.
Arrested for stealing motor bikes (while his “gang” members escape), on the eve of moving to Algeria (hopefully with Jean in tow), penniless Farid implores anyone who will listen (few do) to take him from the courthouse to the safety of home. Many try; none succeed.
What actually happened to the engaging man who, apparently, goes both ways, is left for viewers to unravel even as the simmering prejudice and offers of love find their way to the surface by Farid’s survivors.
Worth a look, then a think. JWR
Same Difference
2002, 11 minutes
Harry Richards
“And what do we do?”
The premise is fun (twin brothers Leon/Noel—Keniro; do spell Noel backwards…), play together (football) and possibly compete for the charms of Abi (Bianca Bonomi). But everything changes when Dominique/Dominic (Nigel Shipp) makes a late appearance at the siblings’ BD celebration…
With too many on-the-the-nose lyrics fuelling the otherwise upbeat songs (I’ll be your last frustration / It ain’t over till you get what you want—and a terrible failure in the subtitles), the inclusion of this short spoils the broth of the others. JWR
Boychick
2001, 12 minutes
Glenn Gaylord
TikTok envy
Long before TikTok was ever thought of, Gaylord brings a fun-loving sexual fantasy to the screen. Boychick (engagingly done up by Ben Lang—especially the bum “sample”), happily falls to the beat of a different drummer in ways not even his “tolerant” (“of course I know you’re pulling you pud”) mother—Andrea La Bella will never understand.
Great way to end this set of looks into the past. JWR