, a high school teenager in Brooklyn spends hot summer days with his buddies – a group of shirtless young men, and also a new girlfriend, whom he is confused about. But at night director Eliza Hittman’s protagonist Frankie goes online where he chats with older gay men and then has random encounters with them in cars and on beaches.
In ()- another Sundance hit and runner-up for the People’s Choice Award at last month’s Toronto International Film Festival, a 17-year-old American high school teenager - Elio, spending the summer at his parents’ Italian villa, has a passionate affair with his father’s 24-year-old research assistant.
and are two of the most celebrated gay-themed English language films of the year, which will play at the ongoing Jio MAMI’s 19th Mumbai Film Festival with Star. – a European production, directed by the Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino ( and ) has traveled to Berlin, Telluride, Toronto and New York film festivals, and is carrying with it a strong Oscar buzz.
Other notables with a LGBTQ focus at this edition of MAMI include, the Chilean film (winner of Silver Bear for best screenplay at the Berlinale this year), director Sebastián Lelio () narrates the story about a transgender singer in a relationship with an older divorced man. There’s a delightful documentary about a lesbian Costa Rican singer and the South African production that explores masculinity issues in the country’s Xhosa tribe. I had earlier written about both the films in another piece for this newspaper. Together the films provide a taste of varying LGBT experiences in different parts of the world. But in each film love, romance and sex comes at a price. The struggles of the protagonists often outweigh their moments of pleasure and joy.
is based on a well-received novel by the Egyptian American author and City University of New York professor André Aciman. And the film’s screenplay is written by the 89-year old James Ivory, one-half of the Merchant Ivory Productions team and director of a range of classics from to , and .
Ivory was originally supposed to direct . He recently gave an interview where he talked about how the script he wrote included several scenes of male nudity. But the film’s two lead actors - Timothée Chalamet (who plays the young Elio) and Armie Hammer (the older Oliver) had no frontal nudity clause in their contracts. “It’s just this American attitude,” Ivory said to . “Nobody seems to care that much, or be shocked, about a totally naked woman. It’s the men. This is something that must be so deeply cultural that one should ask: ‘Why?’”
The lack of nudity aside, is a deeply romantic film, where first love, passion and heartbreak are dealt with honesty and beauty. The fact that the film is set in an idyllic Italian village with long hot summer days, adds to the general romantic mood.
While ’s young Elio finds romance – at least for one summer, Frankie (British actor Harris Dickinson who is terrific as a Brooklyn teenager) follows the path of self-destruction. Instead of romance, there’s plenty of pain in Frankie’s messy summer. His father’s health is failing and he is having a tough time suppressing his big secret. The only solace he finds is in seeking older men for random sex, often with the added intension of scoring drugs from them. explores a very different American gay experience than , but together the two films are fine bookends to coming-of-age dramas.
Marina (Daniela Vega) – a trans woman, is comfortable about her gender and sexuality, yet she has battles to fight. Her lover – the middle-aged man Orlando suddenly dies of an aneurysm, and his family, including his ex-wife and son ban Marina from attending his funeral. But Marina does not step aside and play timid. Instead she fights back for her right to be at her lover’s funeral.
After its premiere at the Berlinale has been highly appreciated at Telluride and Toronto festivals. Most of the focus has been on Vega, who in her second film outing is outstanding as Marina. It would be remarkable if Vega were remembered during this year’s award season. That would be a first for a transgender performer and would make Marina’s struggles and small wins in all the more sweet.
Published - October 13, 2017 08:58 pm IST
