Voleurs de chevaux (2007) aka In the Arms of My Enemy

Voleurs de chevaux (2007) aka In the Arms of My Enemy

Director: Micha Wald
Scenario: Micha Wald
Genre: Drama
Country: France, Belgium, Canada
Year: 2007
Duration: 85 min
Rating: 6.5/10

Subtitles: English, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, Greek,

Actors: Grégoire Colin, Jean-Luc Couchard, François-René Dupont, Adrien Jolivet, Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet, Corentin Lobet, Thomas Salsmann, Igor Skreblin, Mylčne St-Sauveur

Description:

Nekako sam se ovih dana i previše naslušao raznih rasprava o osnovnim ljudskim pravima kao što su pravo na različitost, pravo na život itd. Sve to spada u današnje civilizacijske tekovine, a kako je to izgledalo u prošlosti možemo vidjeti preko mnogobrojnih filmova, knjiga itd
U Srbiji i dan danas pojam Kozaka je nešto sveto. Naprosto ruski kozaci su časni borci za pravdu i tačka. Nema rasprave o tome.

Skoro niko nezna istorijat nastanka kozaka i šta su oni u jednom istorijskom trenutku predstavljali. Ko klinac sam maštao kako sa ostalim kozacima jašem nekog konja kroz ruska bespuća, a kasnije su mi bili omiljena masturbatorska tema!
Ovaj film se dobro potrudio da mi razbije sve te fantazije. Kozaci su bili borci za odrbranu vjere, crkve i države i pri tome njihova tolerantnost je bila ravna nuli. Nevjernike su ubijali i pljačkali bez obzira da li se radilo o ženama, dijeci ili muškarcima.
Sva sreća ovaj film se toga ne dotiče inače se nebi našao na ovom blogu.
Film nam priča priču o bratskoj ljubavi nastala u nužnoj simbiozi koja brači onogućava da prežive u siromašnom ruskom okruženju.
Jakub (Adrien Jolivet) i Vladimir (Grégoire-Leprince Ringuet) su dva brata, koja lutaju po selima, prseći i radeći za hranu kako bi preživjeli. U jednom selu nailaze na Kozake koji traže nove regrute, Jakuba je odmah privukla njihova ponuda jer bi im to osiguralo toplu odjeću i hranu. Mlađi i više krhak Vladimir je skeptičan, ali u svemu prati brata. Ubrzo se nađu u sadističko ustrojenom kozačkom logoru gdje je Jakub dokazuje svoju vještinu kao konjanik, a Vladimir biva brutalno silovan od strane ostalih regruta. Prisiljen braniti brata, Jakub sa Vladimirom biva zatvoren u neku smrdljivu rupetinu, al na kraju ipak uspjevaju položiti kozačku zakletvu. Prvo kozačko krštenje im je kada sudjeluju u jednom napadu na neko selo u kojemu nikoga ne ostavljaju živog, uključujući i žene i dijecu.
Sa druge strane kozačke granice,( film ne ne precizira gdje je to), Roman (Grégoire Colin) i njegov mlađi brat Ilija (François-René Dupont) žive kao konjokradice. Roman je veliki tvrd momak, a mnogo mlađi i hromi Elias, sa posebnim nemuštim darom prema konjima, treba stalnu zaštitu. Žive u nekom jedva nastanjenom krajoliko i sigurni su sve do dana kada su ukrali Jakubovog i Vladimirovog konja, pri čemu ubijaju Vladimira. Nadalje film nam priča priču o osveti, borbi, i upornosti do samouništenja.
Ono što mi je nejasno zašto se film reklamira kao neki gay epsko homoerotični film, kada to ustvari nije. Ničega tu gay tematski nema. Uz toliku pompu po gay filmskim festivalima i reklamom koja ne odgovara samoj suštini filma zasigurno će odvratiti publiku kao što su pripadnici OBRAZA i drugih fašistički zabludelih gledatelja.
Šalu na stranu film je strastven al ne u ljubavi muškarca prema muškarcu nego čistoj bratskoj neiskvarenoj vezi. Nije loš za pogledati, ali ne očekujte neku gay epsku priču. Jedino iz tog razloga se našao na ovom blogu kao not gay themed movie!

IMDB

A Study of Filial Devotion and Survival, 28 September 2008

Author: gradyharp from United States

Micha Wald has created a strong masculine drama as writer and director of 'VOLEURS DE CHEVAUX' (IN THE ARMS OF MY ENEMY), a film with a grand sweeping view of nineteenth century life in the region of Russia and has accomplished this with a very small budget, a cast a both unknown and new actors, and a production crew sensitive to place and atmosphere. For some reason the marketing of this film has been directed to a particular audience instead of emphasizing the broad spectrum of those who love epic dramas. It deserves very wide attention, as it is an excellent meditation on the rigors of filial love among the destitute of the period.
Part I: Him: Jakub (Adrien Jolivet) is the diminutive but strong older brother of Vladimir (Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet), a gentle and handsome young lad who depends on Jakub's 'parenting'. The two destitute brothers fend for themselves, dressed in rags, begging for food and work, until they encounter a group of soldiers who are enlisting young men to be Cossacks. Jakub sees the opportunity for food and shelter and 'belonging' and encourages Vladimir to join him in enlisting. The rigors of 'boot camp' drive Jakub to dangerous extremes and result in his being punished and imprisoned for varying periods of time while he still masters fighting techniques and equestrian skills: the more defenseless Vladimir falls victim to abuses at the hands of his fellow recruits. When Jakub discovers that Vladimir has been raped, he resorts to serious fighting and the two brothers are placed in a solitary confinement box. When their training period is over, the boys witness the brutality of the Cossacks as they slaughter innocent families, and this is the breaking point that drives them to desertion. They escape the Cossacks on stolen horses, but while bathing in a river, their horses are stolen.
Part II: Them: The horse thieves are two other impoverished brothers with a strong parallel - Roman (Grégoire Colin) is the stronger, pugilistic older brother who takes care of his younger brother Elias (François-René Dupont), a gentle lad crippled in youth by a goring from a ram but who maintains an ability to communicate with animals. They live humbly in a forest shack and an underground hideaway, and when they make their rare excursions into the village tavern, Roman jealously guards the more fragile Elias, threatening even the girl Virina (Mylène St-Sauveur) with whom Elias is infatuated. Using a combination of their skills, Roman and Elias steal the horses of Jakub and Vladimir, and the trail of vengeance begins.
Part III: Us: Both sets of brothers are needy and their destinies collide due to the theft of horses. Tragedies mount, both sets of brothers intensify their filial bond of compassion, but the older brothers fight to the death of one and in the end one of the brothers provides succor to the survivor of the other set of brothers and the ending leaves the audience to guess the future altered by violence and need.

Micha Wald draws powerful performances from his young cast of beautiful actors and with a minimum of dialogue ( in French with English subtitles) he creates wholly credible characters about whom we care very much. The cinematography by Jean-Paul de Zaetijd is superb and the haunting musical score by Jóhann Jóhannsson, Jeff Mercelis and Stephan Micus is rich in capturing the harmonies of the music of the period and the location. In all, this is a visually stunning film and a story that is subtle and touching and impressively sophisticated in the manner in which it is told. Highly recommended. Grady Harp

1

À la recherche du paradis perdu (1993)

À la recherche du paradis perdu (1993)

Director: Robert Salis
Scenario: Gilbert Lauzun, Robert Salis
Genre: Documentary
Country: France
Year: 1993
Duration: 100 min
Rating: 7.5/10

Subtitle: NO

Actors:

Description:

Jeste li nudista?
Na žalost ovaj francuski dokumentarac je bez prevoda, ali ljubitljima nagih tijela će ipak biti lijepo pogledati. Da budem iskren pojma nemam o čemu pričaju likovi iz ovog filma pa sam ga pogledao smišljajući sam o čemu pričaju :)))
Mnogi pederi su skloni da za sebe kažu da su nudisti. Ako biti nudista znači otići na nudističku plažu skinuti se go, uzeti neku knjigu i čitati uz pomno praćenje koga sve ima na plaži onda jesu. Međutim takva definicija nudizma je potpuno netačna. To se više može nazvati skinuti se go kako bi privukao pažnju i uz izvesni voajerizam "loviti" druge iste takve "nudiste" Još kada uz sve to dodamo začin u obližnjem žbunju u kojem se "isprobavaju" tuđi ekstremiteti ( uglavnom penisi, guze i usne šupljine) onda je to sve samo ne nudizam. To se samo može nazvati goli lov na muško meso, koji se od gay sauna i kupatila razlikuje samo po mjestu okupljanja.
Neću vam ođe pisati definicije naturizma, to pogledajte u wikipediji gdje je sve lijepo opisano.
A da li ste zaista naturista možete i sami znati ako iskreno odgovorite na nekoliko pitanja.

Da li volite sami provosditi vrijeme u prirodi goli?
Volite li goli biti u kući, sami ili u društvu ljudi koji vas seksualno ne zanimaju?
Da li bi ste organizovali večeru za mješovito društvo ( žene i muškarci) gdje bi svi bili goli, bez obzira na godine?
Kako se osjećate kada ste goli, a pored vas je jako zgodan goli muškarac?
Kako se osjećate kada ste goli a pored vas je gola osoba koja vam nikako nije simpatična niti erotski privlačna?
Volite li prirodu, sa svim njenim ljepotama i nedostacima ( bube, insekti i sl)?
Da li bi vam smetalo da vidite oca, brata, majku ili nekog blisku osobu golu?
Koliko ljudi kojima to ne smeta poznajete?

Odgovarajući na ova pitanja znaćete i sami da li ste naturista ili niste. Naprosto naturizam nema nikakve veze sa seksom. Naravno u svemu tome ima tolerantnog neupadljivog voajerizma i egzibicionizma, ali sve to mora biti upakovano u prihvatljive naturističke norme.
Za sebe mogu reći da sam nudista od svoje 11 godine, kada sam prvi put otišao sa ujakom na nudističku plažu. Naravno od tada pa do danas nikada nisam otišao tamo da bih nekog "navatao" već da bih vidio stare prijatelje koji u meni nikada nisu gledali parće mesa!

A kada odem na neko mjesto da bih pogledao izbor kobasica i ostalih mesnih proizvoda uz izvesnu spremnost za konzumaciju istih, onda to ne mješam sa naturizmom.
Interesantno je vidjeti kako izgledaju naturistička mjesta u drugim zemljama!

From IMDB

The naked truth about naturalism, 26 August 2005
Author: Marion88 from United States

Nudity is unsettling. Nudity fascinates. Nudity is exciting. As a matter of fact we tend to mix nakedness,sexuality, lifestyle and pleasure. Living Naked sorts out the concepts and tries to present us with the "naked truth" about naturalism. Through many testimonies, some very funny, some moving, through fascinating archive footage and a tour of the main naturist resorts in France and Germany. Living Naked explores, demystifies the taboos. Nor a voyeur, nor a proselyte, Director Robert Salis addresses the Adam or the Eve living inside of us. Just released on DVD in French, this is a unique must see feature film about naturalism.

 

Cut Sleeve Boys (2006)

Cut Sleeve Boys (2006)

 

Director: Ray Yeung
Scenario: Ray Yeung
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Country: UK, Hong Kong
Year: 2006
Duration: 86 min
Rating: 6.1/10

Actors: Chowee Leow, Steven Lim, Gareth Rhys Davis, Neil Collie, John 'Ebon-knee' Campbell, Mark Hampton, Paul Cox, David Cary, David Tse, Michelle Lee, Shirley Chantrell, Paul Courtenay Hyu, David Leigh, Mark Wakeling, James Bridgeman

Description:

Ovaj prilicno stupidno napravljen film jedva da bi ubacio na englesku verziju bloga da nije i pored lošeg scenarija i par redateljskih reklo bi se amaterskih grešaka na neki način ipak poučan za današnju Cut and Out omladinu koja se posvetila životnoj šetnji iz jednog u drugi krevet. Na stranu ću za sada staviti potrebu mladih gay-ovaca za seksualnim pražnjenjem. Predpstaviću i da svi danas koriste kondome bez razmišljanja o tome da li to treba ili ne. Ono što mene lično čudi je to da kada na kraju zatvore krug i teško mogu da pronađu nečiji krevet u koji nisu uskočili i dalje grozničavo traže nekog novog "tipa"

Maldost ludost, reklo bi se! Komično je to što svi na kraju traže nekog "normalnog" momka sa kojim bi podjelili nešto više od dupeta ili one stvari, a u priči se neskriveno podrugivaju onima koji se ponašaju jednako kao i oni! Pederska posla , zar ne!
Jednom sam sa jednim drugom otišao na neku novosadsku gay žurku! U ta doba ni ja nisam bio u fazonu druženja sa gay ljudima, a taj moj drug pogotovo. Jedva da je imao poneko seksualno iskustvo sa muškarcem. Na tu žurku nas je doveo jedan feminizirani gay lik. Naravno kad smo se tamo pojavili svi su bacili oko na nas kao na " novo, neisprobano svježe meso" Uz gomilu pića koje smo ispili u kratkkom roku kako bi razbili tremu brzo smo se opustili i dopuštali sebi stvari koje nikad prije nismo! Ljubili se sa nekim likovima po ćoškovima kafića, prepipkavali gayovce gdje smo god stigli i smijali se ko budale.
Kada je žurka skoro završila krenemo da izađemo , a onaj gay koji nas je i doveo na tu žurku ovom mom drugu dobaci: "Droljo jedna"!  Izašli smo napolje vrišteći od smjeha!
Definitivno smo znali da to ipak nije svijet kojemu pripadamo. Ja sam i dalje nastavio da se upuštam u veze sa macho oženjenim likovima, a moj drug je sebe pronašao po novosadskim parkovima u koje bi se neprimjetno uvukao, uradio što je namjerio i odatle pobjegao glavom bez obzira u krevet kod svoje žene!

Nego udaljih se od filma. Dva azijata koja žive u Londonu i koja se trude da budu IN ili kako bi jedan od njih rekao šik, već su se umorila od londonskih klubova i sexa na neviđeno. Međutim način života kojim žive ne dopušta ima da u šumi vide drveće. Jedan traži ljubav, a ignoriše momka koji je tu odmah do njega i izjavljuje mu ljubav, samo zato jer je "seljak", a drugi luta tražeći svoj identitet među transeksualcima.

Iako je početak filma trapavo napravljen, kasnije može postati interesantan.

PFS Film Review
Cut Sleeve Boys

Cut Sleeve BoysCut Sleeve Boys, directed by Ray Yeung, begins with a title explaining the origin of the term “cut sleeve boys” from the time when a bisexual emperor wanted to get out of bed without disturbing his cuddling male concubine, so he cut the sleeve of the latter’s garment in order to rise from bed, leaving his boyfriend still asleep. The term, in other words, is equivalent to “gay.” The first scenes portray the death of a good-looking Chinese guy, Gavin Chan (played by Mark Hampton), presumably from ejaculating immediately after ingesting amyl nitrate, and the funeral, where the two principal characters are introduced. Ashley Wang (played by Chowee Leow) and Mel Shu (played by Steven Lim) are good-looking twentysomething Chinese residents of London afflicted with “bitchy queen” attitudes because they have not found love, having moved to England from Asia to advance their careers as well as to find fulfillment in the arms of British gays. Ashley regularly swishes and, at home, wears feminine clothes. Mel has built a wall around himself so that he can only have tricks, not love, and reverts to a catty demeanor while with Ashley. Both are obsessed with what they wear and what they look like; their personalities are hollow. One day, Todd Charrington (played by Gareth Rhys Davis) knocks on Mel’s door, having left home in Wales. Mel had promised to put him up if he ever left home, so Todd expects to be greeted accordingly. However, Mel is quite cold to him, though he relents and allows Todd to stay a few days. Meanwhile, Mel insists on the virtues of an open relationship, but fails to attract anyone at the gym, while Todd gets attention, goes out with a muscular guy, and returns to lie that there was an orgy instead of one-to-one sex, believing that his lie will ease any pain for Mel. In a sex scene, Mel blindfolds Todd, who has never experienced kinky sex before; after Mel holds his arms behind his back, he orders him to beg to be fucked, and Todd complies.

However, Mel loses interest before proceeding when his telephone rings. Ashley is calling and requests help to crossdress. Todd gets up, disappointed. Mel even gets Todd a job and then tells him that the time has come to move out. Todd has a crush on Mel, but the latter’s brusque demeanor has deterred him from revealing his emotions until he is ordered out. and eventually leaves after declaring his love, which Mel rejects. Ashley, having decided to reinvent himself, goes to a bar for “trannies” and their admirers, meets a war vet, and has a wonderful time, but is reluctant to go forward with the relationship, fearing that he could not revert to his masculine identity most of the time. Mel, now having rebuffed an admirer, decides to reinvent himself as well, trying to botox wrinkles that are scarcely noticeable. Earlier, Mel has decried the fact that he is doomed to attract only “rice queens,” but he now he invites Todd, now corrupted by life amid the fashionable gay life of London, to a lunch. He evidently hopes to rekindle Todd’s love, since Ashley appears to be headed for a stable, happy relationship that will leave him friendless. The film ends with Ashley and Todd getting what filmviewers will expect that they deserve. Credits indicate the future states of affairs of the various characters one year hence, albeit superficially. The commentary on how the Londoners cope with gay life is doubtless intended to teach many lessons. One obvious observation is that all the characters are so interested in how they look and feel that they do not realize how empty headed they are; apart from their narcissistic hedonism, they have no purpose in life, no cause to advance, no connection with the world beyond themselves. The pastor who presides at the initial memorial service is the only one who appears to have a broader vision, but he abandons the ministry after receiving ?500,000 in the dead man’s will and instead partakes of gay life without wearing the cloth any more. MH

Cambridge Spies (2003)

Cambridge Spies (2003)

Director: Tim Fywell
Scenario: Peter Moffat
Genre: Drama, History
Country: UK
Year: 2003
Duration: 235 min (4 parts)
Rating: 7.7/10

Actors: Tom Hollander, Toby Stephens, Rupert Penry-Jones, Samuel West, Stuart Laing, Darrell D'Silva, Anna-Louise Plowman, Ronald Pickup, Marcel Iures, Angus Wright, Patrick Kennedy, Colin Higgins, John Light, Imelda Staunton

Description:

Nakon tjeskobe izazvane posljednjim događajima u Beogradu, pomalo razočarano sam zaključio da me pogađaju stvari koje me prate čitav život. Vrijeme će svakako učiniti svoje i danas neke nemoguće stvari će zacjelo postati normalne.
Pogledao sam nekoliko filmova koje sam odlučio pohraniti tamo gdje im je mjesto, u recycle bin! Zatim sam odgledao kako neki debili odlaze u neku kuću velikog brata, kvazipoznate ličnosti koje su se počele baviti poljoprivredom na nekoj reality show Farmi i pogledao likove koji sebe smatraju talentima. Dovoljno da zaboravim na sve predhodne jadne i patetične Beogradske događaje.

Britanska serija Cambridge Spies je predstavila pravo osvježenje nakon odgledanih  nabrojanih gluposti. Spočetka serije bilo mi je lijepo vidjeti ta četiri vedra mladića prepunih ideala i želja da u životu učine nešto što će promijeniti svijet. Njihovi ideali nastali na strogom kembridždskom univerzitetu u vrijeme pojave nacizma u evropi, poklopili su se sa jačanjem komunističkih ideala u istočnoj evropi.
Priča napisana po istinitom događaju koji je potresao Veliko Kraljevsko ostrvo.

Glani junaci ove priče unajmljeni su kao špijuni za Sovjetski savez. Sa ljubavlju prema komunizmu i puni ideala, talentom za špijunažu i mržnjom prema Hitleru i fašizmu, četvorka započinje 20-godišnju karijeru velikih prijevara i laži.

Guy Burgess: nadaren i nepokolebljiv, ovisan o seksu i scotchu. Zaposlen u The Timesu, BBC-u i MI5, što mu je pomoglo u pristupu tajnim podacima o nacionalnoj sigurnosti.
Anthony Blunt: zabavan, duhovit i izuzetno lukav, u vezi je s najvećim tajnama kraljevske obitelji. Kim Philby: savršen špijun. Postaje vrhovni vođa jedinice u MI6, "sprečavajući ljude slične njemu da postanu slični njemu."
Donald Maclean: dvostruki agent s podvojenom ličnosti; simpatičan i duhovit, a zatim divlji i opasan.

Fascinantni likovi, bistrog uma neće ni jednog gledaoca ostaviti ravnodušnim. Guy Burges, neskriveni homoseksualac, na jedan neobičan način na otkriva laž i hipokriziju visokog plemićkog društva koje mu otvoreno saopštava da ga smatraju sebi ravnim, članom kluba, koje  je sposobno da toleriše njegove ispade i greške, pa čak i one koje će ga pratiti doživotno, misleći pri tom na njegovu seksualnu orjentaciju. Ništa neobično za današnje vrijeme, ali radi se o 1934. godini kada je homoseksualnost u Engleskoj bila kažnjavana čak i smrtnim presudama.

Ostavio me je zatečenim dok je jednom prijatelju pričao  o smrti njegovog oca: Nešto sam dobio smrću moga oca, dobio sam slobodu, bila je to velika tuga, ali i snažan osjećaj slobode. Zvuču smješno, ali smrt roditelja može biti početak,posebno ako si ga volio.
Sličan osjećaj sam i ja imao kada mi je umro otac, jer sam za njegova života bio ono što je očekivao od mene, a smrt je izbrisala svaku šansu da ga eventualno razočaram. A majka , ona uvijek nekako sve osjeća i zna, al nikada ne pita niti prebacuje, naprosto uvjek je na mojoj strani, ma šta ja uradio!

Ova serija je urađena u četiri epizode, možda je malo podugačka, ali već sada sam siguran da ću je sa uživanjem odgledati ostala tri nastavka.

From IMDB:

Spy Story for Sunday Night, 6 July 2003

Author: Philby-3 from Sydney, Australia

This is a lightly fictionalised account of how four tewwibly well brought up English boys betrayed their country to the Soviet Union. Philby's father had been a distinguished diplomat and Arabist and McLean's a cabinet minister. All had public school educations and had been undergraduates at the same Cambridge college. They set off into promising careers in the foreign office and security services and were Soviet agents from the start. Their great coup was to give the Soviets enough details about the atomic bomb to speed up their program to build one by a couple of years, but it was at the expense of blowing McLean and Burgess's cover (they escaped to Moscow in 1951), and Philby being fired from MI6. He joined them in Moscow in 1963. Blunt, by now the Keeper of the Queen's Pictures was then interrogated; he confessed, and was let go.

It's one of the really great spy stories of the 20th century. This version concentrates on the personal dynamics. The amount of contact the spies had with each other after Cambridge seems to be much exaggerated (pretty bad security), but gives us the picture of the gang of four against the Establishment. The women are interesting too. Philby was a ladies' man to whom Donald McLean's American wife Melinda (Anne-Louise Plowman) was attracted. They later lived together in Moscow. Blunt and Burgess were both gay, but friends rather than lovers.
The Establishment, in the person of Lord Halifax (James Fox), Ambassador to Washington, found it difficult to believe that 'people like us' could do such things and started looking for the atomic spy in the embassy kitchens. One or two western counter-intelligence operatives including the CIA's formidable James Jesus Angleton nearly nabbed them, but with Philby tipping them off (and duchessing Angleton), Burgess and McLean made it safely to Moscow.
With four hours to play with all the characters are richly drawn. Tom Hollander's Guy Burgess is a drunken dirty little sod who somehow manages to be witty and charming as well. It was great cover for a spy. As Donald McLean, Rupert Penry-Jones is the Golden Boy who feels himself unworthy, and sees communism as the way to redemption. Toby Stephens as Kim Philby gives us the cleverness, the deviousness and the angst as well, especially in the Spanish episode.(I'm afraid us Philbys are a devious lot, but we bleed, we bleed). Samuel West's Blunt has the occasional hint of emotion, but basically is a cold fish. Art, it seems is his life. He does get on tewwibly well with the Queen.

Seventy years on, it's not so much why they did it, but why they kept it up that mystifies. Given their location close to the heart of British Intelligence and hence knowing as much as anybody outside about what really went on the Soviet Union, it's extraordinary that Philby and McLean in particular continued on right up to 1951 (Blunt was more or less inactive after 1945). It is suggested here that Ms McLean did try to get her husband to give up spying but there's no real explanation as to why he persisted. Perhaps he still believed. Anyway, truth or fiction is hardly the point here - Sunday night is not for history lessons. This is a familiar tale well told, visually splendid and not too taxing. The real story, I suspect, is far too complex for even the most adroit (or left) TV producer. An earlier TV account,"Philby Burgess and McLean" (1977) is also worth watching, if you can find it.

 

Cambridge Spies ep1 - i love this country-desktop
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Blessing (2003) Short movie

Blessing (2003)

Director: Stephen Williams
Scenario: Stephen Williams
Genre: Drama, Short
Country: USA
Year: 2003
Duration: 16 min
Rating: 8.8/10

Actors: Blake Barlow, Scott Smith

Description:
Blessing is a Gay Mormon film destined to be a great resource to help open lines of family discussion in Gay Mormon families as well as families of any faith. Blessing is a very powerful and moving film that has already touched the hearts of people wherever is has been shown. Whether you are "gay" or "straight" the message in this Gay Mormon film by Stephen Williams will help you to analyze your personal biases or prejudices about the Gay Mormon men and women or just gay men and women you come in contact with everyday. Gay Mormon film is a fairly recent development. Predjudices and biases in the Mormon Church and in society in general have made it difficult for people to be willing to share their expierences, but lately their have been more courageous individuals willing to memorialize in the gay mormon film industry the stuggles gay mormon men and women face in their families and in life in general. Look for more gay mormon films to be produced and to appear on the pages of Gay Mormon Films

From IMDB:

Heart-felt, honest and powerful, 18 October 2004

Author: Tim Evanson (tevanson@earthlink.net) from Washington, D.C.

Stephen Williams is a Mormon filmmaker from Utah. This is a tight, gentle little film based on an episode from his own life.
A gay son, David, comes home after his father's heart-attack. Estranged from his mother and straight-arrow brother, held at arm's length by his loving but distant father, and embraced by his adoring and liberal sister, his arrival is inopportune. But the kindly Mormon bishop is accepting of David's presence. But when David realizes that the bishop and his brother intend to anoint his father with healing oil in order to give him a blessing, David asks to be included. But since David is living in a "state of sin," he cannot participate. In the end, Mormonism is a patriarchal religion. And the decision to include David or not is going to be his father's...
The film is obviously heart-felt and real, although some of the dialogue is a bit stilted and awkward. The actress playing David's mother is a bit too stiff and unyielding to be real, but the bishop's role is played beautifully.
The nice thing about this film is that even non-Mormons will understand and appreciate the emotional content and message of the film. Anyone familiar with the Isaac-Jacob-Esau story in the Old Testament will find many parallels as well. But for those audience members who are deeply estranged from their families, the film tends to lack resonance. For some, blood-family may not be as important as the created-family that one creates on one's own.
But nevertheless, this is a great little film that not only has an element of reality, it has heart.

Birthday Time (2000)

Birthday Time (2000)

Director: Lawrence Ferber
Scenario: Lawrence Ferber
Genre: Short, Drama
Country: USA
Year: 2000
Duration: 18 min
Rating: 6.1/10

Actors: Cory W. Grant, Simon Woolley, Diane Spodarek, Mark Pacitti, Jeffrey Middleton, Jay Corcoran, Alex Lew Weider, Elio Ventrella, Henry White, Kevin Benham, Steven Washington, Mauricio Martínez, Mauricio Martinez, Alex Lev Weider

Description:

Adorable and sweet, 5 May 2002

Author: Matthew-45 from Manhattan

Birthday Time is a sweet and charming short about one's quest for a first kiss before the 18th birthday mark. Ferber's script is tight and funny while the performances are solid. If you can, try to catch this quickie delight on the Sundance Channel! It will put a smile on your face.

Gay rights

"AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL" gay rights spot, feat. Slim K
by SLIMKHEZRI

Gay rights activists have called off Sunday’s planned pride parade in Belgrade after the Serb authorities requested the event be moved amid security concerns.
Ultranationalists and football hooligans had threatened to attack those taking part.
The cancellation comes just hours after President Boris Tadic had vowed to protect the march.
Majda Puaca of the organising committee is furious:
“ Serbia has bowed to threats from a number of violent groups. Therefore the state by its decision to hold the march somewhere else, on a field near the Palace of Serbia, has rendered the parade useless, without meaning or sense.”
The move casts doubt on Serbia’s determination to become a more open society following a bloody recent history.
In 2001, the only gay pride event to take place in the capital, was ambushed by nationalists, which left dozens of marchers and police injured.

Šokiran sam ovim zadnjim dešavanjima u Beogradu! Otkazivanje Parade ponosa, prebijanje stranaca po ulicama, zabrane okupljanja....kad se sve te informacije sakupe na gomilu stekne se slika da je u Beogradu ratno stanje. A do juče sam bio ubjeđen da je Beograd od svih gradova bivše Juge najtolerantniji grad. Demantovan sam na najsuroviji moguću način!
Dugo sam razmišljao kako je sve to moguće? Grad koji je uvijek važio za slobodarski, otvoren, evropski da na ovako spektakularan način doživi sramotu!
Razumijem da u svakoj sredini ima ekstremista koji svojom nasilnošću terorišu većinu, ali zaista ne razumijem da jedna država nije sposobna da se obračuna sa njima. Ako već nisu znali kako i na koji način da riješe nastalu zbrku oko toga mogli su zatražiti pomoć EU i siguran sam da bi im poslali pomoć kako se obračunati sa fašistima i nasilnicima po ulicama! Ovako cjela država je kapitulirala zbog grupe neobrazovanih marginalnih terorista.
Znamo za onu :prase se ne goji uoči božića! Tako i vlast ne treba da čeka da joj se dese ovakva sranja pa da počne da razmišlja o elementarnim stvarima kao što su osnovna ljudska prava!
Zapitajmo se koliko je obrazovnih sadržaja o ljudskim pravima napravljeno? Koliko se medijski utiče na stav javnog mjenja po pitanju tolerancije prema manjinama?
Koliko godina Srbija i Crna Gora žive u viznoj izolaciji? Naša omladina naprosto svijet oko sebe može da vidi samo preko medija, filmova, muzike.
Rijetki su oni koji mogu da otputuju preko granice i učestvuju u nekoj studentskoj debati o ljudskim pravima, a još rijeđe su takve debate na našim prostorima!
Primjetili ste da izbjegavam frazu Gay prava. Smatram da su prava gay populacije neraskidivi dio osnovnih ljudskih prava. Danas su ugroženi homoseksualci i lezbijke , a sutra neko drugi! Može li to biti i nepravoslavno stanovništvo, romi, neka vjerska sekta, druga nacija.....?
Podržavam napore LGB Zajednice da se izbore za pravedan tretman u društvu. Ponajprije će to uspijeti ukoliko svojim ponašanjem , tolerancijom, profesionalnošću na poslu steknu poštovanje okoline nezavisno od seksualne orijentacije!
Samo tako će te bez ustručavanja svakome moću reći da ste gay bez straha od negativne reakcije!
Druga strana medalje je koliko su pripadnici gay svijeta tolerantni prema drugim manjinama? To zapitajte sami sebe kad god raspravljate o bilo čijim pravima!

Cover boy: L'ultima rivoluzione (2007)

Cover boy: L'ultima rivoluzione (2007)

 

Director: Carmine Amoroso
Scenario: Carmine Amoroso, Filippo Ascione
Genre: Drama
Country: Italy
Year: 2007
Duration: 97 min (Diversa Film Festival) | Italy:93 min
Rating: 7.3/10

Actors: Eduard Gabia, Luca Lionello, Chiara Caselli, Luciana Littizzetto, Francesco Dominedň, Gabriel Spahiu, Alina Petrescu, Razvan Cacoveanu, Rolando Matsangos, Walter D'Errico, Susan Lay

Description:

Sjećam se televizijskih izvještaja iz Rumunije 1989. godine kada je svrgnut tada sam mislio poslednji diktator u Evropi Nikolae Čaušesku.
Nada za bolje sutra se vratila rumunskom narodu. Bilo mi je neopisivo drago zbog tih dešavanja. Nisam više mogao trpiti priče o ljudima koji su ložili namještaj kako bi se spasili smrzavanja. Ipak je to bila meni susjedna zemlja. Na žalost nisam ni slutio da se mojoj zemlji sprema još veća i gora tragedija.

Nakon tih godina, upoznao sam dosta rumuna koji si dolazili ovdije kod nas da zarade nešto novaca i tako prehranili porodicu. Danas je to zemlja Europske Unije, sa tek nešto lošijim standardom nego što je u Crnoj Gori.
90- tih godina sam se kao i većina mojih tadašnjih sunarodnika suočio sa balkanskim ludilo o kojem naprosto ne želim da pričam. A i ovaj blog nije mjesto za tako nešto.
U ovom filmu pratimo sudbinu rumuna Ioanea, koji iz post komunističke Rumunije dolazi u Italiju, sam, izgubljen i bez perspektive.
Lutajući ulicama Rima, kao poslednji beskućnik, upoznaje siromašnog italijana Michaela koji radi kao čistač, nesigurnog zaposlenja i koji jedva plaća stanarinu kod neke polulude izjanđale glumice. Tipična socrealistična priča , zar ne.

Međutim poenta je da je ovaj film na neki način ujedinio bogati zapad i siromašni istok evrope na jedan jedva primjetan način. Siromašni Michele u jendnom momentu kaže rumunu: U Italiji ako nemaš podršku roditelja i prijatelja postaješ stranac u sopstvenoj zemlji. Michele koji je zagazio u 40-te godine, bez radnih kvalifikacija, svojim načinom života ne odudara od gomile ilegalnih imigranata koji čiste ulice velikih gradova.
U tom siromaštvu razvijaju neobično prijateljstvo.
Da ne pričam dalje, ideali koji su kod Iona duboko urezani porodičnim vaspitanjem nisu narušeni sadašnjim potrošačkim mentalitetom. bar ne u ovom filmu. A u stvarnosti?

Jednom sam u Budimpešti u poznatoj banji "GELERT" upoznao jednog rumuna. Izgledao je kao macho tip sa naslovnih strana modnih časopisa. Zgodan, lijep, muškog ponašanja i izgleda, odudarao je od gomile pogubljenih pedera u kupatilu. Ne znam ni ja kako ali upoznam se sa njim u jednom opuštenom razgovoru. Predstavim mu se i počnemo svoje priče, ja o balkanskoj, on o rumunskoj. Prošlo nam tako skoro dva sata kad se rumun u jednom momentu trgne ugledavši jednog matorog poluraspanutog pedera. Ja ostadoh u čudu gledajući šta se dešava. Rukuju se , ljube, dodiruju ispod vode u bazenu .... Poprilično naivno protumačim to kao neki fetiš prema starim ljudima. Ima i takvih zar ne. Vratim se mom društvu i kibicovanju ima li ko zanimljiv za mene.

Prilikom izlaska iz Gelerta vidim rumuna i javim mu se. On me pita koliko ostajem u Budimpešti i gdje sam odsjeo. Onako suzdržano mu odgovorih, a on mi reče da bi volio da se vidi samnom. Ja mu kurtoazno odgovorih da ćemo se viđeti, te da sa svojim prijateljem može doći u gay bar Action. On se nasmije i kaže: Nije mi to prijatelj, to mi je mušterija. Zinuh od čuda i rekoh mu da nisam pomislio da to radi za novac. Kratko mi odgovori da se od nečega mora živjeti i da je svjestan da dobro izgleda, neko će taj izgled naplatiti na modnoj pisti, a neko u krevetu. Nasmijah se i rekaoh mu da ja nemam para da ga platim, a on mi odgovori: I ja sam samo običan čovijek! Proveli smo dva nezaboravna dana zajedno. Pokazao mi je Budimpeštu onako kako je on vidi.
Neznam šta je sa njim jer ga nakon odlaska nikada nisam vidio.

A druga priča vezana za ovaj film mi se desila u Itailiji. Kao i uvijek vraćao sam se doma oko 21h nakon sat vremena provedenih u teretani. Primjetim da me nako prati kolima. Malo se uplaših, al mirno produžim misleći da je možda neka od mnogobrojnih italijanskih policija u civilu. U jednom momentu iz kola izađe neki stariji gospodin i kaže mi da me svako veče gleda u toj ulici i da mu se jako dopadam. Pomislio sam da me je video kako idem u jedan gay porno bioskop te zato misli da sam gay. Rekoh mu da žurim doma. On mi predloži da odemo neđe na piće. što ja već dovoljno istraumiran odbijem. Kaže mi da bi mi bio zahvalan da sa njim provedem pola sata. Pristanem. odemo u jedan kafić i pričamo uz pivo. Užasno napadno mi se udvarao, iako sam mu otvoreno rekao da nije moj tip. Na kraju je počeo da mi nudi novac. I to ko na pijaci, 100 mile lire, 150.... 250....Ja u šoku, u to vrijeme je to bilo skoro 400 DM, a za mene balkanskog golja i te kako veliki novac. Nakon trećeg piva pristanem. Odemo u dio grada u kojem žive bogatiji ljudi, otvori se kapija i uđemo u kuću. Sve ko u filmu. On počne da me skida te ja ostadoh bez ičega na sebi, al kad je počeo da me ljubi sve mi se zgadilo. Osjećao sam se ko da balavi po meni, nekako ljigavo i jadno. Nije mi se mogao dići, al mu to nije smetalo. Kad sam mu reako da ne mogu i da bih pošao doma, rekao mi je da smo se dogovorili i da ne pristaje ne odustajanje. Nisam znao đe sam ni kod koga sam. Pustio sam da se sve završi onako kako je on želio. Pare mi je dao u autu dok me je vozio natrag! Reče: ovo uvijek uzimaj unaprijed! Tuširao sam se najmanje dva sata!
Eto moje iskustvo, prvo i jedino kao prostitutka.
Od tada sam se zarekao da nikada više neću uraditi nešto protiv moje volje radi novca. Toga se i danas držim.

VARIETY.COM
By JAY WEISSBERG

 

A better movie than appears onscreen lurks within "Cover Boy ... The Last Revolution," but helmer Carmine Amoroso hasn't figured out how to pull it out from the excess nonsense. As a tract against consumerism and the overimportance of status, the pic has much that hits the mark, but the screenplay loses itself halfway through and considerably weakens the tale of a Romanian illegal immigrant and his friendship with a hard-luck Italian. Frustration is palpable because there's plenty to praise, though offshore Italo fests will probably be the sole takers.
A beautifully edited montage running through the Cold War and the fall of Ceausescu gets things rolling, followed by the random shooting of young Ioan's father Florin (Gabriel Spahiu) on the revolutionary streets of Bucharest. Cut to the present, and 23-year-old Ioan (dancer-choreographer Eduard Gabia) is convinced by a friend to join him in Italy. On the train, the friend gets hauled off by immigration, and Ioan arrives in Rome alone and without prospects.

Michele (Luca Lionello, Judas in "The Passion of the Christ"), a janitor in the main train station, takes pity on Ioan and offers to rent him space in his apartment. Gradually the two hit it off, though Ioan seems oblivious to Michele's sexual interest.
Work is haphazard for them both: Ioan is illegal, and Michele, at 40, hardly qualifies as a success story. Landlady Luciana (well-known comic Luciana Littizzetto) barely tolerates Michele's tardy payments, but her patience is wearing thin.
Everything changes when Ioan is rescued from squeegee hell by photographer Laura (Chiara Caselli), who decides he has an authentic something about him. She pulls him off the street, gets him papers and sets him on the catwalks of Milan in an overextended and ridiculously improbable about-face that considerably weakens the pic's thrust, notwithstanding the revelations of Laura's venal motives.
If only Amoroso had been satisfied with detailing the burgeoning friendship between Ioan and Michele, he could have sharpened his critique of rampant capitalism and perhaps even said something new about the tired "closeted gay man in love with his straight roommate" story. He's created fully formed, complex characters, but is unsure where to take them: Much more could have been made of Michele, a man unable to lift himself out of society's margins and express something as fundamental as his sexuality.
Comparing Michele's status as a marginalized Italian to Ioan's illegal immigrant is thought-provoking, and it's refreshing to find an East European who maintains an emotional connection to his home country. But again, Amoroso fails to develop the concepts and instead throws in pointless fashion-world scenes that seriously compromise his aims.
At his best with actors, Amoroso deploys a cinematic style that combines moments of restrained elegance with the occasional overly simplistic setup. It's been 10 years since his last directorial effort, "As You Want Me," and the current pic's unevenness certainly suggests a talented but inexperienced director at the helm. Blow-up from HD is fault-free.

 

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